The removal of Cu from wine by copolymer PVI/PVP: Impact on Cu fractions and binding agents

Specific forms of Cu in wine can influence wine flavour and development. The co-polymer polyvinylimidazole/ polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVI/PVP) is known to remove Cu from wine, but its impact on different Cu forms is un-certain. In this study, three Cu fractions in white wine were determined by colorimetry and two Cu fractions in red wine were determined by diatomaceous earth depth filtration and atomic spectroscopy. PVI/PVP, with either silica or chitosan formulations, reduced all three fractions of Cu measured in white wines, and sulfide-bound Cu in red wines. The inefficient removal of organic acid-bound Cu in red wines was linked to the higher pH of red wines. After PVI/PVP treatment, wines showed lower concentrations of hydrogen sulfide, but minimal changes in weaker Cu binding agents. These results demonstrate that PVI/PVP efficiently removes the least desirable form of Cu present in wine, along with its detrimental binding agent (i.e., hydrogen sulfide).