Use of potassium polyaspartate for stabilization of potassium bitartrate in wines: influence on colloidal stability and interactions with other additives and enological practices

The research was aimed at verifying the efficacy of potassium polyaspartate (KPA), added at bottling, for prevention of the precipitation of potassium bitartrate (KHT). The stability of KHT was determined with the mini-contact test and the cold test. The effect of KPA on the colloidal stability of white and red wines was also studied. Turbidity, color, and total anthocyanins and flavonoids (red wines only) were monitored. In the first experiment, the stabilizing effect of KPA added at bottling, with or without Arabic gum, tannins, and filtration (0.45 µm cut-off), was studied in comparison with metatartaric acid (MTA). KPA proved to have good stabilizing efficacy for prevention of KHT precipitation and maintained its effect in all trials after 1 year of bottle aging. On the contrary, all the trials with MTA became unstable after 6 months. Moreover, KPA did not modify wine turbidity and color. The filtration (0.45 µm cut-off) did not reduce its stabilizing efficacy. In the second experiment, the effect of KPA added to a white and a red wine, respectively clarified with casein and gelatin or vegetal protein and/or bentonite, was studied. KPA did not cause any increase in turbidity or appreciable changes in the color of the white wines of the different trials. A preliminary treatment with bentonite can prevent the possible formation of haze in red wines after the addition of KPA. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: KPA prevented the precipitation of KHT in unstable white and red wines. The stabilizing effect persisted after 1 year of bottle aging. The oenologist does not need to adopt special prescriptions when using KPA in combination with Arabic gum or tannins in prebottling operations. A treatment with bentonite prevented the appearance of turbidity in red wines after the addition of KPA.