An unfiltered appearance is most noticeable in white and rosé wines. Unsplash
I was recently quizzed by a reader about cloudiness in wine, which has become quite commonplace in recent times along with the rise in popularity of low-intervention (I try to avoid the term ‘natural’) wines.
Once upon a time, before mechanical filters were invented, all wine and beer was cloudy, which is its natural state. Filters made life easier for winemakers: they were a short-cut. This is because if left to its own devices, wine will clarify itself, as particles fall to the bottom of the container, leaving the liquid clear. But that process takes time, so filtration offers a time saving.
In a very young wine, or a sparkling pet-nat, the cloudiness is mostly suspended dead yeast cells. In other wines it may be mostly proteins.
Over the decades, it had the effect of leading consumers to always expect a crystal-clear product.
In effect, today’s lo-fi winemakers are just going back to the past when they bottle wine without filtering it first.
In a very young wine, or a sparkling pet-nat, the cloudiness is mostly suspended dead yeast cells. In other wines it may be mostly proteins. Neither are needed as part of the flavour or appeal of wine, indeed, I often find the suspected particles ‘muddy’ the taste. On the other hand, filtration brightens and sharpens the fruit in a wine.
An unfiltered appearance is most noticeable in white and rosé wines, although reds are sometimes
This Article was originally published on The Real Review
