Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/264184
W i n e s & V i n e s M A R C H 2 0 1 4 81 WineEast would take much longer to get the return on investment. Sulfur dioxide Sulfur dioxide is another test where wet chemistry using glassware can provide an- swers. Good results can be obtained using either the older Ripper method or the newer aeration oxidation method of analysis. With glassware, running the Ripper method is somewhat problematic with red wines, since the analysis relies on a color change to obtain the endpoint of the analysis. That was the genesis for the development of the aeration-oxidation method that separates the color of the wine from the titration of the SO 2 . Regardless of the method used, each SO 2 test takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. If you have dozens of tanks and/ or barrels, that is a serious commitment of laboratory time just for SO 2 analyses. How- ever, the mini-titrator by Hanna reduces the time for an individual analysis by 75%. While based on the Ripper chemistry, this instrument has lowered the inherent error of red wine analysis by incorporating an ORP probe as the sensing device, which takes the judgment out of the endpoint determi- nation. Aeration oxidation remains the gold standard for SO 2 analysis, but the differ- ence is so slight that it is not significant, especially when considering the natural variability of SO 2 in any wine. Sample preparation and defect detection Simple pipettes can be used to create lab sample wines, but in order to make ac- curate samples you must use rather large quantities of wine for each sample to evalu- ate. To avoid that prospect, use an analyti- cal balance to weigh out milligram amounts of amendments or pipette microliters of a fining agent, copper treatment for H 2 S or other materials accurately. A balance will cost between $1,100 and $1,500. Look carefully at the equipment list and get good quality auto-pipettes. These pipettes are about $200 each plus appro- priate tips. You are paying for precision and flexibility; the best recommendation is to get one 20 to 200µL, one 100 to 1,000µL, and either a 1ml to 5ml or 1-2ml to 10ml auto pipettes. This range of pipettes will allow preparation of 100ml samples of wine that can be accurately scaled from the lab to production levels. An analytical balance accurate to +/- 1mg will allow for addi- tions to 100ml of wine that also will scale. Couple these tools with some simple lab filtration and you will be able to duplicate a finished wine in 100ml increments. The next article The second part of this series will explore more advanced equipment that, for a few dollars, will improve your understanding of your wine and its health, and significantly improve its quality. WE Dr. Richard Carey is president of Vitis Wine Center and winemaker for Tamanend Winery in Lancaster, Pa. He has written numerous articles on new technologies for the grape and wine industry as well as a series of articles on laboratory analyses in Wine East magazine. Dont worry... we have you covered. 716.542.3000 • WWW.NIAGARALABEL.COM specialty papers • digital printing • flexo printing hot & cold foil • screen printing • embossing designer wet strength stocks