Notes from the Lab

We often receive requests to include new tests in our standard testing. These requests stem from customer import/export needs, industry-wide challenges, or trial evaluations. While these tests aren’t IANZ accredited, we ensure accurate results within industry standards. We consider facility, staff, software, safety, cost, and time factors. Method development can be challenging and time-consuming. Our goal is to provide reliable results, that help you make timely decisions and achieve your wine making goals.

If there are any tests you would like us to offer let us know. We will be adding the below tests in the next month as well as Sorbic for Export.

Laccase - Inhouse Laccase activity in grape juice can lead to color degradation and instability. Currently, sulfur dioxide or inert gases are used to inhibit laccase activity, but the wine industry seeks more eco-friendly alternatives. Adding this analysis aims to give winemakers a better understanding of when a problem might occur helping to reduce laccase activity and protect wine color against enzymatic browning and oxidative haze.

Cloudspec – AWRI Tannins and Anthocyanin method - Testing wine and juice for anthocyanins and tannins is crucial for quality control, color stability, and mouthfeel assessment. It aids in making necessary adjustments during winemaking and can helps predict aging potential. This is an exciting test to add to our Cloudspec scope, and we look forward to more methods from Maramalabs and Cloudspec.

Calcium - Calcium-induced instabilities, often seen as crystalline calcium tartrate deposits in bottled wines, pose quality challenges. Calcium is present in wine at concentrations of 6 to 165 mg/L. Instability due to calcium tartrate appears at 4 to 7 months of fermentation. Wines containing 80 mg/L or more of calcium are at risk of CaT precipitation. By adding this test we are hoping to look at calcium levels across the country and perhaps try to pre-empt problems. We do see calcium tartrates worse in some years than others.