Protein haze: a stability flaw, not a fault

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The standard

Heat-tested protein stability is reached when a heat treatment of the sample no longer produces haze. It judges a wine by its reaction to warmth, not by its clarity in the cool state.

Criteria

The haze arises from heat-unstable proteins, not from tartrate
It shows under warmth, not necessarily in the cool wine
It concerns clarity, not taste
Its proof comes from a heat test of the sample

Distinction

Protein haze ≠ cold stabilisation: the latter removes cold-induced tartrate, not heat-unstable protein. Protein haze ≠ haze in wine: that is the umbrella term, while heat-tested protein stability judges the protein fraction alone.