Micro oxygenation


Calculation of flows for micro oxygenation The OxBox Micro oxygenation cannot cure all problems You are here
Take control of oxygen input: turn your tanks into barrels
 
1. Use micro oxygenation levels between 1 and 10 mL 02/L wine/month.

2. The starting point depends on volatile sulfides, anthocyanin concentration, tannin concentration (how big is the wine?), end use of the wine and time line for the wine.


Post-MLF micro oxygenation brings the technique of oxygenating wines to a more reasonable and familiar level for most winemakers. Micro oxygenation is not new. Throughout their careers, winemakers have been using micro oxygenation in some manner. However, the methods were not controllable: racking, barreling, topping etc.
Now, with the StaVin OxBox, the winemaker will have precise control over how much oxygen a wine will be exposed to. One mL /L/month is approximately what a new barrel can deliver to a wine, including topping and racking. While oxygenation can be applied to wine as a rate more than 10 mL/L/month, a higher rate has a potential for generating compounds which react faster with SO2 than the phenolic compounds.
  The major questions is: Where do I start?

  The answer depends on: First, the presence of sulfides. The rate of oxygenation may be set higher for a brief period to help eliminate these compounds, allowing better fruit expression and better judgement of the optimal rate with which to treat the wine overall.
  Second, the rate of oxygenation depends on how much color and tannin are in the wine. The bigger the wine, the higher the rate a winemaker might use. In contrast, the lower in color and tannin, the lower the rate of oxygenation.
  Third, what is the final market for the wine and when will it be needed for blending or bottling? Think of wine in a tank being treated with an oak integration system and micro oxygenation as wine in a barrel. Experience has taught winemakers that a particular lot of wine requires eight months for proper flavoring and maturation. Therefore, if the winemaker has the correct amount of oak in the tank and will micro oxygenate this tank at 1 mL/L/ month, the wine will develop over eight months approximately the same as the wine would develop a barrel.
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