Alcohol Reduction Technology

There are several technologies capable of adjusting alcohol in wine.  Osmotic distillation, atmospheric distillation of permeate, vacuum distillation of wine and membrane perstraction.  VA Filtration USA offers both atmospheric distillation of wine as well as membrane perstraction.  We have chosen these technologies as the best quality options for wine.

Atmospheric Distillation of Permeate

This process involves the generation of a permeate stream from wine using RO/NF membranes.  The resulting permeate stream is then sent to a distillation column where the alcohol is removed as high proof (85% strength).  The remaining water is then added back to the concentrated wine resulting in a lowering of alcohol.

Benefits of this technology are as follows:

• Gentle on the wine since color, aroma and flavors are not subject to heating
• Recovery of alcohol as high proof

Membrane Perstraction

This process involves the use of RO/NF or UF to generate a low color wine fraction stream.  This stream is subsequently passed through a hydrophobic membrane contactor where ethanol is removed in its vapor phase and condensed on the opposite side of the membrane in a water stream.  The water stream containing the ethanol can then be distilled to recover the ethanol as high proof.  The permeate with lower alcohol is returned to the concentrated wine stream exiting the RO/NF/UF process.

The benefits of this technology are as follows:

• Can be used on site for alcohol reduction
• Extremely gentle on the wine
• Easy to dial in exact alcohol numbers
• Minimal losses to wine volume due to only ethanol being removed without water loss.
• Can ship the resultant water/alcohol stream to a distillation facility for recovery of the ethanol