Alcohol Adjustment for Improved Flavour Complexity
Wineries using the Spinning Cone Column for alcohol adjustment have found that even a slight reduction in alcohol content can improve the flavour complexity of the wine. Wine flavour consists of a huge number of volatile compounds but the largest group of compounds contributing to wine flavour is the esters. However esters and other volatile compounds tend to have increased solubility (hence reduced volatility) in ethanol as the ethanol concentration increases. By reducing the amount of alcohol present, the flavours become more volatile and thus, apparent, in the wine. A chart illustrating the solubility of selected esters in ethanol is shown below.
