Acidification and pH Control in Red Wines

This chapter focuses on the management of acidic fraction and pH control in red wines. The main traditional strategies for chemical acidification and deacidification are discussed, including the use of acidic musts from low maturity grapes, as well as the addition of tartaric acid, malic, lactic, and citric acid, potassium bicarbonate, and calcium carbonate. Less common practices, such as deacidification by the addition of other salts, are also examined, together with new technologies, such as electrodialysis and the use of ion exchange resins. The effects of these techniques on wine pH as well as their impact on wine composition, stability, and sensory characteristics are considered, focusing on the problems of red wine processing. Finally, the main laboratory techniques for pH and acidity measurements are overviewed.