Articles
Bioprotection
BIOProtection consists in the addition of a living organism to occupy the ecological niche and thus limit the predominance of potentially undesirable indigenous microorganisms.
How accurate is your sulfur dioxide testing?
Last year we reported in this journal about the work we were doing to develop test kits for sulfur dioxide (SO2) and some surprisingly high results we got for “low preservative” wines we purchased from supermarket shelves. Since then we have completed the project and now have commercially available test kits for both Free Sulfur Dioxide (F SO2) and Total Sulfur Dioxide (T SO2) for spectrophotometers and automated analysers (the latter commonly known as Discrete Analysers).
Wine Labs Continue Testing for Smoke Taint
Following the recent bushfire disaster, wine laboratories across the country have been working tirelessly to test grapes for potential smoke taint. ABC News reported on the major issue of smoke taint, mentioning Vintessential’s very own Greg Howell.
2019 Mornington Peninsula Wine Show
Last Friday, Vintessential’s Wally Ceccato was pleased to be part of the 2019 Mornington Peninsula Vignerons Wine Show in Victoria. Wally was honoured to help on the day—presenting the award for Best Pinot Gris or Pinot Grigio to the 2018 Willow Creek Pinot Gris.
Loss of Aromas and Freshness in Your Wine?
Ageing in wine is caused by oxidation. In white wines, oxidation will often lead to browning, pinking, bitterness and a loss of aroma. In red wines, oxidation will typically result in the development of pruned fruit flavours, flattened palate and an increase of brown or orange hues.
Perfecting Wines Naturally
Tannins and polysaccharides are important tools featured in winemaking—typically used to polish the wine and overall increase its quality. Tannin additions will help balance the taste of the wine through decreasing the alcoholic sensation. Tannins can also help improve the wine aroma by heightening elements such as oak, fruit and spice notes. Tannins and polysaccharides […]
Wine with low or Zero SO2Addition
Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is often regarded as one of the most controversial additives within the winemaking industry. For this reason, winemakers have been trying for years to find alternatives to use that are healthy for human consumption. There are now safe and accurate substitutes when it comes to sulfur dioxide. Laffort provides a range of […]
What are Oak Alternatives?
Oak barrels have been used by winemakers for years to enhance sweetness, improve the aromatic profile and assist with colour stabilisation in wine. Oak barrels are still considered one of the superior methods when it comes to treating wines. Unfortunately, oak barrels come with many challenges for winemakers, including cost, storage space, ease of use […]
FAQ on Wine Fining
The fining process is a crucial stage in the production of all wine types. In winemaking, fining agents are used for a variety of different purposes including clarification, filterability improvement, haze prevention, sediment formation, organoleptic profile improvement, colour adjustment and removal of undesirable elements or flavors. Fining involves two very important reactions: flocculation and sedimentation. […]
“Low preservative” wines – just how low is low?
As part of a recent project to develop a new Test Kit for the determination of Sulfur Dioxide for use with Spectrophotometer and Discrete Analysers, we tested a batch of commercially purchased wines labelled “low preservative”, so we could be sure that the Test Kits worked across the full range of sulfur dioxide levels. To our surprise, a number of these wines were not low at all! This is of concern to our industry as some consumers are very interested in and aware of the preservative levels of the foods and drinks they purchase. Is it time for the wine industry to decide what the level of sulfur dioxide should be to qualify for a “low preservative” statement?
Vintessential Orange Recognised at Business Awards
Vintessential Laboratories Orange is delighted to be the recipient of the ‘Excellence in Micro Business’ award presented by the Orange Chamber of Business at the 2019 Business Awards.
Enzymatic testing in the wine lab
Enzymatic methods in the wine laboratory are incredibly accurate, fast and safe, helping to generate important information about your wine to ensure the most informed decisions are made. Whether the methods are performed on a benchtop spectrophotometer or an automatic analyzer, understanding the equipment and materials you are working with is essential to getting the right result the first time. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always go to plan, so it’s important to understand what can be causing poor results and how to fix it.
Water Testing at Vintessential Laboratories Hobart Tasmania
Did you know that Vintessential Laboratories in North Hobart, Tasmania has been operating now for almost 3 years?! How time flies. As well as our usual beverage and wine testing services, we have seen great demand in providing fast, reliable analysis of drinking, irrigation, effluent and bore water. That means whether your water is smelling funky, is coming out of the tap an odd colour or if you have been pondering whether your illness is due to E.coli in your water, Vintessential is here to help.
Co-inoculation: the latest great development in malolactic fermentation
Introduction Commercial strains of malolactic bacterial cultures have been available for many years. Until recently, these cultures were added after the completion of the alcoholic (yeast) fermentation. New research has enabled the development of strains of bacteria that can be added at the same time that yeast is added (co-inoculation). The advantages of co-inoculation are […]
How to avoid the AWBC rejecting your wines
Introduction Wine to be exported from Australia must be approved by a tasting panel of the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation (AWBC). A recent article (1) by Steve Guy, Compliance Manager for the AWBC, outlined the main reasons why wines have been rejected this year. In this article we look at what these reasons are […]
Brettanomyces and Under Pressure! – Testing Times – September 2018
Brettanomyces A customer recently sent a number of red wine samples to check for the presence of Brettanomyces. After discussions it was decided to plate the wines for the microbial presence of Brettanomyces bruxellensis (aka Brett) colony forming units and also to measure for the presence of the marker compounds 4 ethyl phenol and 4 […]
