International Code of Oenological Practices

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Biological stabilisation

II.3.4.2 Biological stabilisation

Definition:

Processing designed to eliminate undesirable microorganisms or to inhibit their development.

Objective:

To obtain biological stability of the wine.

Prescriptions:

To achieve the objective, the following procedures may be used:

a)        Heat Treatment

  • Pasteurisation,
  • Hot bottling

b)       Sterilising filtration.

c)        The application of microbial inhibitors, such as sulphite, sorbic acid, fumaric acid, dimethyl dicarbonate (**)[1] and diethyl dicarbonate (not accepted).

d)       Depletion of the must in undesirable microorganisms (filtration, centrifugation) and in nutritional elements by development of successive generations of microorganisms followed by their elimination.

Recommendation of OIV:

Refer to the practices and treatments mentioned above.


[1] ** indicate that the production conditions are being studied