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Resources

We believe in providing our clients with the best information and resources pertaining to beverage fermentation and winemaking. Here we have information on sending and testing samples, how to take correct measurements, fermentation tips and more. Contact us today if you have any questions on [email protected]

European trends in the use of mannoproteins

August 19, 2016/by VintessentialAdmin

Introduction There has been a lot of research done recently on the use of mannoproteins in winemaking which has led to the release of several new products into the marketplace. These new products are making quite an impact on the sensory properties of sparkling, white and rosé wines. Mannoprotein products are being used in large […]

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Tip: The importance of climate change (in your lab!)

August 5, 2016/by VintessentialAdmin

It’s winter and it’s cold. But it needn’t be in your lab. Having well maintained heating and cooling systems in your lab is necessary to keep the temperature as close to 20˚C as possible. This not only makes for a comfortable and safer working environment, it can be critical in achieving accurate results. Here are […]

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Tip: Measuring dissolved CO2 in the winery

August 5, 2016/by VintessentialAdmin

The level of dissolved carbon dioxide in a wine can greatly effect the taste of the wine, too little and the wine can seem flat and flabby and too much can cause a wine to taste harsh and tannic. Measuring carbon dioxide in the winery can be done a number of ways but the quickest […]

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Tip: Using spike analysis as a QC in the lab

July 5, 2016/by VintessentialAdmin

Many wine labs now have improved quality control systems in place and routinely analyse samples in duplicate and run the same control wine sample each day, plotting the results on control charts. These are great ways to monitor repeatability and reproducibility, two very important quality parameters that indicate how precise a method is. A third […]

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Tip: Troubleshooting enzymatic calibration curves

July 5, 2016/by VintessentialAdmin

With an increasing number of labs upgrading from benchtop spectrophotometers to automatic discrete analysers for their enzymatic testing, it is worth noting that the major difference between the two approaches (apart from speed!) is in the calculation of the sample results. A discrete analyser calculates a calibration curve from a series of known standard solutions. […]

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Co-inoculation: the latest great development in malolactic fermentation

June 28, 2016/by VintessentialAdmin

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 […]

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Tip: Conducting micro testing without a micro lab

June 9, 2016/by VintessentialAdmin

In a perfect world a winery micro lab would be established in its own room, separate from any other winery or lab activities. It would have a laminar flow cabinet and dedicated personnel trained in aseptic techniques. In practice, space and budget constraints don’t  always allow for this, but that shouldn’t prevent labs from adding […]

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Tip: A closer look at absorbance

June 9, 2016/by VintessentialAdmin

Absorbance readings taken from spectrophotometers during enzymatic analysis should be considered carefully before they are used to calculate important wine parameters. Many spectrophotometers have a photometric range up to about 3.0 absorbance, but this does not necessarily mean that any value up to 3.0 is an accurate reading. Spectrophotometers don’t directly measure absorbance, they actually […]

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Tip: Cuvettes – a closer look at a common consumable

June 9, 2016/by VintessentialAdmin

You use them every day for your enzymatic analysis and probably don’t think too much about them. But the quality and correct use of your disposable cuvettes are critically important for ensuring accurate enzymatic or colorimetric results. We use high quality disposable cuvettes in our NATA accredited labs, for analysis as well as for validation […]

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Tip: Correct micropipetting technique

June 9, 2016/by VintessentialAdmin

One of the most crucial factors in enzymatic analysis is volumetric accuracy. Taking care to properly use and maintain micropipettes will save you time, money and frustration in the long run. It helps to pre-wet new pipette tips by aspirating and dispensing the liquid before pipetting.  This forms a thin film on the inner wall […]

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Tip: Cuvettes – a closer look at a common consumable

June 9, 2016/by VintessentialAdmin

You use them every day for your enzymatic analysis and probably don’t think too much about them. But the quality and correct use of your disposable cuvettes are critically important for ensuring accurate enzymatic or colorimetric results. We use high quality disposable cuvettes in our NATA accredited labs, for analysis as well as for validation […]

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Tip: Calibration Procedure for Micropipettes

February 10, 2016/by VintessentialAdmin

SCOPE This procedure describes the method generally used to calibrate all micropipettes. Check the individual manufacturer specifications for acceptable error ranges at nominal volumes. RECOMMENDED FREQUENCY Every 3 months REAGENT REQUIREMENTS • Distilled Water PROCEDURE 1.1  Each pipette should be tested at its maximum capacity, and again at no more than 20% of its total capacity […]

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Why wines with low Sugar-free extract are being rejected in China

October 7, 2015/by VintessentialAdmin

Introduction Sugar-free extract is the latest unfamiliar expression to pass the lips of exporters of wine to China. This obscure test was the largest cause of wine being rejected by Chinese authorities last year (1). Below we discuss this test and make recommendations on what exporters should do to ensure that they have no technical […]

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The Last Chance to Get Your Wine Right – Pre-Bottling Analysis

July 3, 2015/by VintessentialAdmin

Introduction The wine you have made can be adjusted, fined, sulfured and played with for as long as you want. That is, until you lock it away in a bottle. So it’s important that the composition of your wine is exactly how you want it just prior to the bottling process. To be sure you […]

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PCR – a new test in the battle against Brettanomyces spoilage yeast in wine

May 19, 2015/by VintessentialAdmin

Introduction The molecular biology technique PCR has now been applied to the determination of Brettanomyces bruxellensis yeast in wine. A kit system is now available in Australia and has been used in our labs to determine the number of viable Brett yeast cells in wine with very good results. This is a rapid and very […]

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My wine had low turbidity but still needed extensive filtering – why?

April 15, 2015/by VintessentialAdmin

Introduction We often hear our winemaker customers complain “the wine had a turbidity of less than one NTU but the bottling company charged us extra for filtration!”. This extra filtering needed at bottling is often unexpected, but there are two tests that can be done to check the condition of the wine prior to sending […]

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Another whack of the dragons tail: Problems with label sugar contents for China

December 16, 2014/by VintessentialAdmin

Introduction As a wine export destination, China appears very attractive: a huge and growing middle class, increasing disposable income and an emerging interest in Western culture – such as wine. However, cracking the Middle Kingdom is not as easy as it seems. First a very low limit on manganese was announced early in 2014, and […]

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Ebulliometry for measuring alcohol in wine: improve your accuracy

September 3, 2014/by VintessentialAdmin

Introduction The following is an expanded version of the talk given by Steve Byrne at the Interwinery Analysis Group seminar in Adelaide on Friday 1 August 2014. The topic presented was ‘Advances in Ebulliometry and Tips for Improving Precision’. Background Ebulliometers have been used for measuring the alcoholic content of wine since the late-1800s. The […]

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Over 23% of wines tested for export to China exceed the manganese limit!

June 25, 2014/by VintessentialAdmin

Introduction Over 23% of the hundreds of wines we have tested for manganese recently are over the new limit imposed by China. This testing was recommended by Wine Australia in late February, for any wines exported to China because some wines have been over this limit and have been destroyed in China or returned to […]

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Do you know what levels of trace metals are in your wine?

June 16, 2014/by VintessentialAdmin

Introduction Wine contains a number of metal ions in very small, that is, trace amounts. These trace metals are generally harmless and in fact can be essential micro nutrients for humans. Most countries have legal limits on the level of certain trace metals in wine. The recent change in limits on manganese in China is […]

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