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Happ's PF White
(PRESERVATIVE FREE) |
Tasting Notes |
Background: Is foregoing the addition of preservative like skating on thin ice?
Sulphur dioxide is a very useful chemical if a winemaker is faced with adverse circumstances that promote the growth of spoilage organisms in wine in process, or following bottling. These adverse circumstances might include:
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Damaged grapes already heavily infected with micro-organisms.
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Warm processing conditions that create a favourable environment for yeast and bacteria to grow.
- The possibility of infection of juice in processing from contaminated machinery, pumps, presses or tanks.
- Warm settling conditions.
- Conditions adverse to the achievement of speedy and clean fermentation.
- Oxidation in handling, storage, and bottling.
- Lack of access to efficient filtration for product.
- Closures that apply an imperfect seal to the bottle therefore allowing oxidation of bottled product.
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The old basket press, used from '81 till '86 utilised a 50 ton jack.
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All of these circumstances can be avoided with determined care and it is probably easier in a craftsman's workshop than an industrial plant. As a winemaker I have noticed that the more sulphur dioxide is used in processing, the greater the accumulation of compounds which require its use, and the more one finishes up using to get a given quotient of free and active chemical in the end.For the sake of the wine, and the taste of the wine, and the people who are allergic to SO2, I choose to use as little as I can in all the wines I make. I am fortunate to have grapes with immense flavour and that helps too. I don't know what the life of this wine will be, but I see no reason why it should not live well in the bottle if the cork does the job I expect of it.
Current Vintage
2006
This PF White is made from Chardonnay. The wine is entirely tank fermented. It is soft, and generous in its flavours, in line with the wine maker's personal preference. The lack of preservatives is testamony to careful wine making.
"I unreservedly recommend it as a great drink but put away your preconceptions based on your previous experience of white wine."
Erl Happ - Winemaker. |
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