RESOLUTION OIV-OENO 583-2017

TREATMENT OF MUSTS WITH CALCIUM SULPHATE FOR LIQUEUR WINES

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

CONSIDERING article 2, paragraph 2 b) ii of the Agreement establishing the International Organization of Vine and Wine, dated 3rd April 2001,

CONSIDERING the requirement to decrease the pH of some liqueur wines having a low natural acidity,

CONSIDERING the works of the group of experts “Technology”, indicating the efficacy of the treatment of musts with calcium sulphate for liqueur wines combining it with other products admitted for acidification,

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT that calcium sulphate, used in the described conditions, is considered as additive,

CONSIDERING the necessity to limit the use of calcium sulfate in order to comply with the limits already fixed for sulfates and for acidification,

DECIDE, following a proposal of the Commission II “Oenology”, to add in part II, chapter 2 “must” of the OIV international code of oenological practices the sheet “Treatment with calcium sulphate in liqueur wines” as follows:

Definition:

Addition of calcium sulphate ( to the must prior to fermentation in combination with tartaric acid for the elaboration of liqueur wines.

Objectives:

a)                      Produce balanced liqueur wines from the gustatory point of view;

b)                      Favour a good biological evolution and good storage of liqueur wine;

c)                       Remedy insufficient natural acidity of liqueur wines caused by:

• climatic conditions in  the viticulture region,
• oenological practices which lead to a decrease in natural acidity

Prescriptions:

a)                      The use of calcium sulfate is used in combination with lower tartaric acid level

b)                      It is suggested to make laboratory preliminary tests to calculate the doses of calcium sulfate and tartaric acid needed to reduce the pH required;

c)                       The dose must not exceed 2 g/L of calcium sulfate because it allows to reach the adequate pH 3.2 in the winemaking of these musts and to obtain equilibrated wines even in years of adverse weather conditions;

d)                      The residual level of sulfates in wines must not exceed the OIV limit;

e)                      The practice should not be done to conceal fraud;

f)                         Chemical acidification and chemical de-acidification are mutually exclusive;

g)                      Calcium sulfate used must comply with the prescription of the International Oenological Codex standards.

Recommendation of the OIV:

Accepted only for liqueur wines