Clarification doesn’t just remove, it gives back
In recent years, clarification has taken on an increasingly strategic role in the winemaking process.
Once considered a preliminary and almost routine operation, it is now evaluated more consciously as it represents a decisive phase in a wine’s sensory identity and ensuring its long‑term stability.
Advances in winery technology, consumer awareness, and the growing need to optimize costs, time, and yields have prompted winemakers to rethink traditional protein stabilization practices.
A Targeted Response to Modern Winemaking Need |
To address these evolving requirements, Enartis has developed the CLARIL range, a series of products designed to bring a more selective, respectful, and modern approach to clarification. CLARIL formulations are based on carefully calibrated blends of plant-based proteins and/or activated chitosan, complemented by synergistic compounds that enhance protein stability, improve shelf life, and support balanced taste and overall final quality.
Numerous studies by winery R&D teams highlight the need to reduce the use of bentonite. While bentonite has historically been an effective agent for removing unstable proteins, it presents several drawbacks. |
Excessive use can reduce aromatic expression and lead to over-clarification, potentially stripping the wine’s sensory profile. It also generates large volumes of lees, lower yield, and creates filtration challenges. As a result, wineries are increasingly seeking more selective and efficient alternatives.
Selective Clarification: Reducing Bentonite Reliance |
Within the CLARIL range, CLARIL ZW is the ideal solution for achieving protein stability in white and rosé wines. It combines a highly reactive plant-based protein with positively charged chitosan, while the presence of activated sodium bentonite completes the clarifying action, ensuring effective yet balanced intervention. Thanks to the synergy between its components, CLARIL ZW enables the selective removal of unstable proteins and colloids, improving filterability and significantly reducing the risk of oxidation. |
One of the most important findings from recent winery trials is that CLARIL ZW enables a 30–40% reduction in bentonite use without compromising protein stability. Many wines also exhibit improved sensory balance and enhanced stability over time.
This approach, developed by the Enartis R&D team, enables the production of wines that are cleaner, brighter, and—above all—more aromatically stable than those obtained through conventional treatments.
Additional advantages:
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Full compatibility with modern tartaric stabilization protocols, particularly with the use of ZENITH. This leads to a more efficient process and greater overall wine stability and consistency. |
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Improved sustainability: Lower bentonite usage results in less sediment to dispose of, higher yield, and simplified cellar operations. |
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Aligned with market expectations: CLARIL products are allergen‑free, suitable for organic production, and ideal for vegan wines. |
The CLARIL range is not simply an alternative to bentonite, but a new approach to clarification that is more modern, more selective, and fully in line with today’s winemaking practices. The Enartis approach allows wineries to improve the aromatic expressiveness, brightness, filterability, and overall stability of wine. Quality matters more than quantity, and the best results don’t come from removing more, but from removing only what is necessary. CLARIL sets a new benchmark for precision in winemaking.
The reduced sensory impact, greater process efficiency, and alignment with market demand for environmentally friendly and plant‑based solutionsmake selective clarification both a qualitative and commercial advantage.
DID YOU KNOW?
Although protein stability is rarely discussed in relation to red wines, it is worth drawing attention to CLARIL ZR. It has been developed for aromatic stabilization and colloidal treatment of red and rosé wines to reduce astringency and preserve color, structure, and aromatic complexity. Formulated with plant-based proteins, polysaccharides, and activated chitosan, it selectively removes unstable components without stripping phenolic richness. The result is a cleaner, more harmonious wine with improved filterability and long‑lasting stability. When paired with ZENITH for full tartaric stabilization, CLARIL ZR provides an allergen‑free, sustainable, and higher‑yield alternative to traditional fining, reducing sediment and optimizing cellar efficiency.