Cork Taint and TCA Prevention
All vintners agree that one of the hardest problems to prevent is wine developing a musty or moldy off-odor after bottling. The condition, referred to as “cork taint,” is caused by 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (2,4,6-TCA) fungal strains found in cork. SGA-2 targets cork fungus strains and, thereby, helps prevent cork taint.
Fungal strains which cause cork taint include Penicillium (four isolates), Trichoderma (two isolates), and Acremonium, Chrysonilia, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Mortierella, Mucor, Paecilomyces, and Verticillium (one isolate each). These strains, however, are all minimized when their host corks have been treated with SGA-2 prior to bottling.
SGA-2 is also a CIP (clean-in-place) wash for winery equipment and physical plant cleaning. SGA-2 will minimize fungal strains leading to cork taint.
In an eight month study using SNCA Products, corks with detectable levels of 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (2,4,6-TCA) using GCMS techniques were soaked in various concentrations of SGA-2. The particular SGA-2 concentration applied was determined by each cork’s pH as being less than 0, 1, 2, 3 or 3.5. Following treatment, the corks were used to bottle several varietals of red and white wines. Every 30 days, a sample of corks were removed and tested. Eight months after treatment, none of the remaining corks had any detectable levels of either 2,4,6-TCA or odor.
SGA-2’s effectiveness is due to its unique chemical properties which are hostile to the genetic composition of fungal cells. Specifically, SGA-2 dehydrates each cell’s cellulose-type protective membrane (which is composed principally of water) as well as the cell’s protein. When properly applied, SGA-2 results in fungal cell destruction.
Brettanomyces Control for the Wine Industry
Details to follow.