Past Features of the Month

Are Your Wines Ready for Bottling??

It is essential that once a wine reaches the consumer, it is an accurate representation of what went into the bottle. By using a combination of chemical analyses and stability trials prior to bottling, you can ensure that your wine will remain stable. To help you in this endeavor, Vinquiry offers the following analyses, panels, and trials:

• Basic Chemistry Panel – Panel 1
Once a wine has completed primary fermentation, the Basic Chemistry Panel is a useful tool as a general wine check-up. The panel covers baseline chemistry tests for assessing wine from fermentation through finish.

• Unfiltered Bottling Panel – Panel 4
The Unfiltered Bottling Panel is one of the most valuable panels Vinquiry offers. It provides information on the risks associated with bottling a wine unfiltered. The panel also checks for stability regarding both primary and malolactic fermentation. There are two separate panels specifically tailored for red and white wines.

• PCR for Spoilage Organisms
Real-Time PCR is a rapid method for the identification of organisms. Vinquiry has validated Real-Time PCR assays for two spoilage yeasts; Brettanomyces/Dekkera species and Zygosaccharomyces bailii. In addition, we have developed assays for the Lactobacillaceae (the family of bacteria that includes Lactobacillus and Pediococcus species) and for the Pediococcus species alone. An assay for the Acetobacter species is currently being validated and will be available soon.

• Cork Evaluation
Cork evaluation is critical to verify that wine defects will not be contributed by natural cork. This test helps winemakers to decide if a certain batch of corks will give the lowest probability in contaminating wine with TCA.

• Wine Improvement Panel
The Wine Improvement Panel is a tool to help winemakers enhance the quality of their wines. The Panel begins with a Sensory Evaluation followed by a Trial Addition Series and Consultation. It provides a second opinion on a wine with unusual aroma or taste characteristics that are perceived as having a negative impact. The Panel can also be used for suggestions that are perhaps needed to improve an already good wine. This Panel combines the sensory and production experience of Vinquiry consultants and enologists with the Vinquiry arsenal of specialty winemaking products to provide our clients with a cost-effective way to receive valuable advice.

Individual Analyses:
• 4-Ethylphenol and 4-Ethylguaiacol
• Alcohol
• Cold Stability
• Filterability
• Finning Trials – protein stability, clarification, sensory modification, acid/pH adjustment series
• Glucose/Fructose
• Heat Stability
• Malic Acid
• Packaging Quality Control
• pH
• Phenolics/Color
• SO2
• Titratable Acidity
• Turbidity
• Volatile Acidity

For more information on pre-bottling analysis, please call your local Vinquiry office or 707-838-6312.
 

Past Features of the Month
April 2008 - Finishing Tannins 
March 2008 - Ascent Cork Aroma Evaluation 
February 2008 - Wine Improvement Panel  
January 2008 - PCR for Spoilage Yeast and Bacteria 
November and December 2007 - Post Harvest Specials   
October 2007 - Stuck Fermentations 
September 2007 - Subliwhite 
August 2007 - Juice Panels
July 2007 - YSEO yeast 
June 2007 - Instrument Calibration
May 2007 - Adams Tannin Assay
April 2007- Laboratory Set-Up
March 2007- PCR Analysis 
February 2007- ISO Accreditation
December 2006- Lab Equipment Sale
November 2006- Restart Stuck Fermentations
October 2006- Malolactic Bacteria
September 2006- New Yeast
August 2006- Juice Analysis Panels
July 2006- Thermo Orion Meters
June 2006- Sparkling Wine Products
May 2006- Ochratoxin Analysis
April 2006- Calibration Services
March 2006- Sensory Services
February 2006- Fining Trials and Products
January 2006- Unified Symposium
December 2005- Efferbaktol SO2 Granules
November 2005- ML Bacteria