Cold soak, maceration and fermentation
Throughout maceration the chemical and sensory properties of the must will change significantly.
Our Basic Juice Panel can provide you with accurate chemical testing to track or predict these changes whereas our Enhanced Juice Panel can inform you of any potential spoilage organisms prior to fermentation commencing. In the near future, we can also offer advice on the potential buffering capacity of your fruit to take the guesswork out of acid additions / pH adjustment.
Core tests for cold soak, maceration and fermentation
The Basic Juice Panel
The Basic Juice Panel includes tests conducted using chemistry methods but it does not detect microorganisms.
This panel includes:
- Brix, pH, Titratable acidity (TA), YAN , Malic acid
The Enhanced Juice Panel Scorpions®
The Enhanced Juice Panel contains all the value generated by the Basic Juice Panel with the addition of a Scorpions® Rapid DNA test to identify the DNA of organisms that may be present in your juice.
This panel includes:
- Brix, pH, Titratable acidity (TA), YAN , Malic acid and a Scorpions® test of your choice
Basic stuck ferment panel
The Basic Stuck Ferment Panel contains tests to help us assess any problems that might be occurring in a difficult ferment.
This panel includes:
- Free and Total Sulphur, Acetic acid , Manual microscopy (including a yeast count)
Enhanced stuck ferment panel Scorpions®
The Enhanced Stuck Ferment Panel has the same chemical tests as above but with the added test of a Scorpions® Rapid DNA test.
This panel includes:
- Free and Total Sulphur, Acetic acid and a Scorpions® test of your choice
Individual tests for cold soak, maceration and fermentation
Acidity
Malic Acid
Testing for malic acid prior to harvest to provide winemaking data or as an indicator that malolactic fermentation is completed.
Glossary
Volatile Acidity (VA)
Soluable Solids
Glucose + Fructose
Typically used to estimate the final alcohol level. Glucose + Fructose, also known as residual sugar after primary fermentation, measures the combined concentrations of the primary two sugars that are consumed by yeast during fermentation. In grapes, this value can provide an estimate of final ethanol concentration. Glucose and fructose are naturally found compounds in grapes produced during photosynthesis
Nitrogen Compounds
Yeast Assimilable Nitrogen (YAN)
Helps to guard against Stuck fermentations or excessive sulphide production. Yeast Assimilable Nitrogen (YAN) is a measure of the total nitrogen including alpha amino nitrogen (NOPA) and ammonia (NH3). Knowledge of available nitrogen is essential for effective fermentation management and may decrease the likelihood of problems such as stuck fermentations or excessive sulfide production
Microbiology
The Stuck and Sluggish panel Scorpions®
The Stuck and Sluggish Rapid DNA Panel detects bacteria that can cause problems, especially the formation of volatile acidity during stuck or sluggish fermentations. The lactic acid bacteria, including many species of Lactobacillus and strains of Oenococcus, can produce high levels of acetic acid in the presence of levels of glucose and fructose normally found in problematic fermentations. Early detection enables intervention to remove the bacteria before they can have a negative impact on the wine.
Sulphur Dioxide
Free Sulphur dioxide
Total Sulphur dioxide
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Contact us
Tel + 64 3 377 7176
Mob 027 478 6093
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e-mail Kirsten.Creasy@hill-labs.co.nz
