WINE TAINT REMOVAL
TO MAXIMIZE WINE FLAVOR AND EXPRESSION
Clean Tech for Clean Wine: The MIPS Revolution
Stop stripping your wine to save it. Winesecrets now offers amaea VPx, a breakthrough “Clean Tech” wine taint removal system that uses Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPS) to target defects with surgical precision.
SELECTIVE
MIPS act like a “lock-and-key,” binding only to specific defects (like Smoke Taint or Pyrazines) while letting your wine’s natural aroma, body, and character pass through untouched.
SUSTAINABLE
Unlike single-use carbon, amaea media is regenerable. This is a true “Clean Tech” solution that reduces waste and aligns with modern sustainable winemaking values.
PROVEN
Don’t settle for “good enough.” This technology is validated to remove volatile phenols and IBMP without the “stripping” effect of traditional methods.
Volatile Acidity: How do we remove VA from wine?
Volatile Acidity (VA) removal is a filtration process that uses Reverse Osmosis (RO) to separate acetic acid from wine without affecting flavor or aroma profiles. Winesecrets utilizes a proprietary RO method to reduce VA by up to 50% at rates of 400 gallons per hour.
WINEMAKING CHALLENGE: HIGH VOLATILE ACIDITY
My wine is not as expressive as I expected
The ferment will not go to dryness
This wine cannot legally leave the premises
- Volatile acidity aromas are masking the desirable components of your wine.
- You have a fermentation that cannot finish due to high volatile acidity (VA).
- Your wine seems fine, but volatile acidity is higher than the legal limit.
WINESECRETS CAN GUIDE YOU THROUGH THIS CHALLENGE
Winesecrets utilizes Reverse Osmosis (RO) for its targeted taint removal of VA.
- Water, alcohol and acetic acid are separated from the rest of the wine.
- Acetic acid is removed.
- Our process involves recirculation of the wine in a single tank, which reduces the risk of oxidation and manages the headspace of your wine. This gentle and selective handling keeps your intended aroma profile intact.
QUICK COMPARISON: WHY CHOOSE WINESECRETS?
| Feature | Winesecrets Molecular RO | Standard / Bulk Methods |
|---|---|---|
| Targeting | Selectively removes only acetic acid | Removes broad range of compounds |
| Flavor Impact | Aromas & flavors remain intact | Risk of stripping flavor |
| Efficiency | High flow (400 gal/hr) | Variable / Slower |
Winesecrets can remove 50% of the VA from a wine at rates up to 400 gallons per hour. With this efficient VA reduction technology:
- Your wine demonstrates its intended flavor and aroma potential.
- Stuck fermentations reinitiate and ferment to dryness.
- Your wine is below the legal limit for volatile acidity.
Winesecrets’ RO system has the smallest impact on treated wine in the industry. Using Ionic RO pore size membrane (100MW), your benefits for choosing to work with us include:
- Target Treatment: Only the offending acetic acid compound is treated and removed, leaving all other wine components intact
- Selective Media: Our competitors use larger pore membranes, with more of the wine’s important sensory elements contacting the treatment media.
- Smallest Impact: The competition’s method removes important wine acids, requiring acid balance (adding malic and tartaric acid) after treatment.
Winesecrets has conducted volatile acidity reduction on over 5 million gallons of wine throughout North America. Our highly trained, professional staff can return your wine to its intended flavor profile at your winery or at our central location in Sebastopol, CA.
SMOKE TAINT REMOVAL
Smoke Taint removal treats wines impacted by volatile phenols (guaiacol, 4-methylguaiacol) from fire exposure. Winesecrets employs differential filtration and targeted adsorption to remove these compounds while preserving fruit character and mouthfeel.
Winemaking Challenge: Smoke Impacted Wine
Vineyard exposure to wildfire smoke has resulted in elevated markers. This results in:
- Smoky, ashy, or medicinal aromas masking the fruit.
- Retronasal “ashtray” character on the finish.
- Risk of glycosylic bound compounds releasing more taint over time.
WINESECRETS CAN GUIDE YOU
We treat smoke taint as a separation challenge. Using semi-permeable membranes (Reverse Osmosis or Nanofiltration), we separate the taint compounds from the wine’s body, color, and structure.
The permeate (containing the smoke compounds) is treated with highly selective amaea VPx media to remove the taint, and the clean wine is recombined. We strongly recommend running a Test Track bench trial first to determine the optimal treatment level.
YOUR RESULTS & ADVANTAGE
- Ashy and smoky characters are significantly reduced.
- Fruit aromatics are unmasked and restored.
- You avoid the heavy “stripping” caused by bulk carbon additions.
GREEN CHARACTER & PYRAZINE REMOVAL
Pyrazine removal targets Methoxypyrazines (IBMP), the compounds responsible for green, vegetal, or “ladybug” aromas. Winesecrets uses amaea RMx technology to selectively remove these molecules, unmasking the wine’s natural fruit expression without aggressive blending.
WINEMAKING CHALLENGE: VEGETAL OR “GREEN” WINES
Cool vintages or MOG (Material Other than Grapes) issues can lead to elevated pyrazine levels. This results in:
- Green Bell Pepper or “stemmy” aromas overpowering the fruit.
- Ladybug Taint (Peanut shell / earthy notes) from harvest contamination.
- Inability to reach premium price tiers due to unripe character.
WINESECRETS CAN GUIDE YOU THROUGH THIS PROBLEM
We utilize amaea RMx molecular filtration. Unlike traditional “masking” agents (like oak chips or tannins) which only cover the problem, this technology physically removes the IBMP molecule.
The process is highly selective, targeting the pyrazine molecule while leaving the desired esters, thiols, and phenolics intact. We strongly recommend a Test Track bench trial to dial in the precise removal rate.
YOUR RESULTS & ADVANTAGE
Winesecrets can elevate a “Green” wine into a fruit-forward premium product.
- Vegetal and herbaceous notes are surgically removed.
- “Hidden” fruit aromatics (cherry, berry, stone fruit) are revealed.
- Wines can often be upgraded to higher price-point programs.
READ THE PYRAZINE REMOVAL CASE STUDY
See how a Napa Cabernet was advanced “up a tier” by removing green character.
BRETTANOMYCES & MICROBIAL TAINT REMOVAL
Brettanomyces (Brett) taint removal is achieved using larger pore Molecular Reverse Osmosis (200 MWC) to target 4-ethylphenol. This process removes the ‘medicinal’ aromas while preserving the wine’s fruit character.
WINEMAKING CHALLENGE: BRETTANOMYCES (BRETT) BECAME ESTABLISHED IN YOUR WINE
Hints of horse, copper penny…
The lovely aromas the wine exhibited when young are muted
- If you can taste Brett in your wine, so can the critics. You will need to remove its unwelcome influence.
- Compounds from Brett below sensory threshold will mask attractive fruit aromas.
WINESECRETS CAN GUIDE YOU THROUGH THIS PROBLEM
Start by experiencing the wine without the burden of Brett taint using Winesecrets’ Test Track. Verify your wine’s potential before full scale treatment.
Use Winesecrets Molecular Reverse Osmosis (200 MWC) for its targeted removal of phenolic microbial taints. How does this work?
- Water, alcohol and small aromatic compounds including those responsible for taint are separated from the rest of the wine.
- The taint compounds are selectively removed by adsorption with carbon.
- The water and alcohol are recombined into the wine.
Winesecrets can remove Brett taint compounds from a wine at rates up to 500 gallons per hour. With this efficient taint reduction technology:
- Free from the aroma suppression of Brett taint, your wine reveals the flavor and aroma you intended.
- Dirty aromas are mitigated.
- Blend rates to mitigate off-aromas are reduced.
- Wines that might have suffered downgrading may retain their premium status.
Winesecrets’ Brett taint removal system employs 200 molecular weight, Molecular RO filters. Your benefits for choosing to work with us include:
- Wine Integrity: Water, alcohol and the offending components are treated, leaving all other wine components intact.
- Targeted Treatment: Our competitors use larger pore membranes, with more of the wine’s important sensory elements contacting the treatment media.
- Superior Outcomes: Winesecrets uses a highly selective form of adsorptive carbon, which out-performs bulk carbon methods and organic ion exchange.
Winesecrets has conducted Brett taint removal on over 250,000 gallons of wine throughout North America. Many of these wines have gone on to garnish critical acclaim and rapid depletion. Our highly trained, professional staff can return your wine to its intended flavor profile at your winery or at our central location in Sebastopol, CA.
REMOVE UNKNOWN AROMAS & TAINTS FROM WINE
WINEMAKING CHALLENGE: THERE IS AN UNIDENTIFIABLE TAINT OR OFF CHARACTER NOT DESCRIBED IN WINEMAKING TEXTBOOKS
I don’t know what that is
This is not what we intended
- There is an aroma in your wine you cannot identify. You don’t know what it or how it got there, but you will need to eliminate it.
- The unknown aroma is not unpleasant, but it is not consistent with house style.
WINESECRETS CAN GUIDE YOU THROUGH THIS SITUATION
Winesecrets has a history of developing customized treatment processes to restore impacted wines. We may not find the source of the taint or identify its cause. We will, however, use our entire arsenal to find a treatment solution that meets your requirements.
Winesecrets will utilize its unique bench scale trial system Test Track to determine the impact of each treatment on your particular problem. After an initial evaluation by our experienced laboratory and cellar experts, small scale treatment trials can begin to determine the best course of action.
The bench trial coupled with Winesecrets’ 15 years of experience in restoring distressed wine will allow you to determine the best course of action before committing large volumes of wine to an unknown issue.
Winesecrets can remove unknown taint from a wine at rates up to 500 gallons per hour. With this efficient Quality Recovery technology, your wine is:
- Clean with unknown taint removed.
- In line with the intended flavor profile.
The Test Track is a unique bench scale trial system to determine the impact of several treatments on a wine. Your benefits for choosing to work with us include:
- Decision Control: With Test Track results, you decide the optimal taint mitigation to bring out the desired characters of your wine.
- Minimal Intervention: Bench trials allow you to determine just the right treatment volume to improve a wine lot. Treat no more than is necessary.
- Superior Outcomes: Winesecrets uses a highly selective form of adsorbtive carbon, which out-performs bulk carbon methods and organic ion exchange.
Once you decide on a treatment regime, Winesecrets has the equipment to scale up the process from individual barrels to lots in excess of 100,000 gallons. Using our insightful defect reduction system results in wine that is freed from foreign and off-putting sensory elements, free to express a more elegant profile. Our highly trained, professional staff can return your wine to its intended flavor profile at your winery or at our central location in Sebastopol, CA.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Will smoke taint removal strip my wine’s flavor?
No. Unlike bulk carbon treatment which strips texture and fruit, our amaea MIPs technology uses “lock-and-key” adsorption. It targets only the smoke molecules (glycosides and volatile phenols) while leaving the wine’s body and varietal character intact.
Can you treat sparkling base wine for smoke?
Yes. We have successfully remediated 100% of impacted sparkling base wines, preserving the delicate aromatics required for high-quality sparkling production (as seen in our Terralux Case Study).
How much volume is lost during VA removal?
Volume loss is negligible. Since we treat the permeate and return it to the tank, you typically lose less than 0.5% of total volume—mostly just the concentrated acetic acid itself.
What is the minimum volume for treatment?
For full-scale treatment, we generally recommend lots of 300 gallons or larger. However, we strongly suggest starting with a Test Track bench trial, which only requires a 750ml sample.
Ready to take the first step? By filling in the request below, we will begin the process of preparing a customized solution to your winemaking challenge. Our team of professionals is ready to share decades of wine production knowledge with you. We love a challenge! And will do our best to ensure you are realizing superior results.