60 Additions that Can be Made to Wine

In blogging about TTB Listening Sessions on Label Regulations, I learned that there are 60 things that could be added to wine. I knew of a few of them but not 60! Fortunately, we don't add anything except for potassium metabisulfite, which is the sulfite addition on the label. However, it is good to know what other wines might contain. So, here is the list:¹

Additive	Reason for Addition
Acacia (gum arabic):	To clarify and stabilize wine
Acetaldehyde:	For color stabilization of juice prior to concentration
Activated carbon:	To assist precipitation during fermentation, clarify and purify wine; to remove color from wine and/or juice from which wine is produced
Albumen (egg white):	Fining agent for wine
Alumino-silicates (hydrated) Bentonite and Kaolin:	To clarify and stabilize wine or juice
Ascorbic acid iso-ascorbic acid (erythorbic acid):	To prevent oxidation of color and flavor components of juice or wine
Bakers yeast mannoprotein:	To stabilize wine from the precipitation of potassium bitartrate crystals
Calcium carbonate (CACO3):	To reduce the excess natural acids in high acid wine or in juice prior to or during fermentation; as a fining agent for cold stabilization
Calcium sulfate (gypsum):	To lower pH in sherry wine
Carbon dioxide (including food grade dry ice):	To stabilize and preserve wine
Casein, (Potassium salt):	To clarify wine
Chitosan from Aspergillus niger:	To remove spoilage organisms such as Brettanomyces from wine
Citric acid:	To correct natural acid deficiencies in certain juice or wine; To stabilize wine other than citrus wine
Copper sulfate:	To remove hydrogen sulfide and/or mercaptans from wine
Defoaming agents (polyoxyethylene 40 monostearate, silicon dioxide, dimethylpolysiloxane, sorbitan monostearate, glyceryl mono-oleate and glyceryl dioleate):	To control foaming, fermentation adjust
Dimethyl dicarbonate (DMDC):	To sterilize and stabilize wine
Enzymatic activity: Various enzymes and uses:	Carbohydrase (alpha-amylase): To convert starches to fermentable carbohydrates Carbohydrase (beta-amylase): To convert starches to fermentable carbohydrates Carbohydrase (Glucoamylase, Amylogluco-sidase): To convert starches to fermentable carbohydrates Carbohydrase (pectinase, cellulase, hemicellulase): To facilitate separation of juice from the fruit Catalase: To clarify and stabilize wine Cellulase: To clarify and stabilize wine and facilitate separation of the juice from the fruit Cellulase (beta-glucanase): To clarify and filter wine and juice Glucose oxidase: To clarify and stabilize wine Lysozyme: To stabilize wines from malolactic acid bacterial degradation Pectinase: To clarify and stabilize wine and to facilitate separation of juice from the fruit Protease (general): To reduce or to remove heat labile proteins Protease (Bromelin): To reduce or remove heat labile proteins Protease (Ficin): To reduce or remove heat labile proteins Protease (Papain): To reduce or remove heat labile proteins Protease (Pepsin): To reduce or remove heat labile proteins Protease (Trypsin): To reduce or remove heat labile proteins Urease: To reduce levels of naturally occurring urea in wine to help prevent the formation of ethyl carbamate
Ethyl maltol:	To stabilize wine
Fermentation aids:	To facilitate fermentation of juice and wine: Ammonium phosphate/diammonium phosphate (mono and di-basic Biotin (vitamin B7) Calcium panthothenate (vitamin B5) Folic acid (folate) Inositol (myo-inositol) Magnesium sulfate Niacin (vitamin B3) Pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6) Soy flour (defatted) Thiamine hydrochloride Yeast, autolyzed Yeast, cell wall/membranes of autolyzed yeast
Ferrous sulfate:	To clarify and stabilize wine
Fractionated potato protein isolates:	Fining agent for wine
Fumaric acid:	To correct natural acid deficiencies in grape wine; To stabilize wine
Gelatin (food grade):	To clarify juice or wine
Granular cork:	To smooth wine
Isinglass:	To clarify wine
Lactic acid:	To correct natural acid deficiencies in grape wine
Malic acid:	To correct natural acid deficiencies in juice or wine
Malolactic bacteria:	To stabilize grape wine
Maltol:	To stabilize wine
Milk products (pasteurized whole, skim or half-and-half):	Fining agent for grape wine; To remove off flavors in wine
Nitrogen gas:	To maintain pressure during filtering and bottling or canning of wine and to prevent oxidation of wine
Oxygen and compressed air:	Various uses in juice and wine
Polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP):	To clarify and stabilize wine and to remove color from red wine or juice
Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) polyvinylimidazole (PVI) polymer (terpolymer of 1-vinylimidazole, 1-vinylpyrrolidone, and 1,2-divinylimidazolidinone; CAS 8765-40-5(Chemical Abstracts Service Registration Number)	To remove heavy metal ions and sulfides from wine
Potassium bitartrate:	To stabilize grape wine
Potassium carbonate and/or potassium bicarbonate:	To reduce excess natural acidity in wine and in juice prior to or during fermentation
Potassium citrate:	pH control agent and sequestrant in the treatment of citrus wines
Potassium meta-bisulfite:	To sterilize and preserve wine
Silica gel (colloidal silicon dioxide):	To clarify wine or juice
Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose:	To stabilize wine by preventing tartrate precipitation
Sorbic acid and potassium salt of sorbic acid:	To sterilize and preserve wine; to inhibit mold growth and secondary fermentation
Sulfur dioxide:	To sterilize and to preserve wine or juice
Tannin:	To adjust tannin content in apple juice or in apple wine; To clarify or adjust tannin content of juice or wine (other than apple)
Tartaric aicd (L-(+)-tartaric acid):	To correct natural acid deficiencies in grape juice or wine and to reduce the pH of grape juice or wine where ameliorating material is used in the production of grape wine

In looking closer at the above list, there are other additions that we might make depending on the grape variety that we are dealing with. Here is our list of potential additives in our wines:

Additive	Reason for Addition
Malolactic bacteria:	To stabilize grape wine; to conduct secondary malolactic fermentation
Nitrogen gas:	To maintain pressure during filtering and bottling or canning of wine and to prevent oxidation of wine
Sulfur dioxide:	To sterilize and to preserve wine or juice

References:
1. Code of Federal Regulations, § 24.246 Materials authorized for the treatment of wine and juice.