Wine Lab

The world’s largest manufacturer of food industry instruments, Denmark’s FOSS Analytical, responded last year to the long-standing needs of winemakers by developing the WineScan wine content analyzer. This instrument measures nearly all wine parameters simultaneously, with a 30-second analysis time. Its operating principle is Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Since every chemical bond vibrates at a specific frequency unique to that bond type and absorbs light of the corresponding wavelength due to this vibration, there is a direct relationship between the amount of light absorbed and the number of chemical bonds of that type in the sample. The essence of the FTIR technique is that, using an interferometer, light is passed through the sample sequentially at 3,000 wavelengths, and at each of these 3,000 occasions, a sensor measures how much light energy the sample absorbs at that wavelength.

Afterwards, the computer can precisely determine the quantity of each type of chemical bond in the sample. Since there are characteristic bond types for certain compounds (for example, the peptide bond linking amino acids in proteins), the chemical composition of the sample can be accurately determined from this information.

Accuracy

The WINESCAN FT 120, with its technology based on infrared waves, produces the most accurate results when analyzing wine. For complete reliability, the measurements are performed twice in succession, then the results are compared.

Speed

During harvest, fermentation, malolactic fermentation, and wine treatments, the speed of analysis is especially important. Our service is as fast as possible: samples brought in by 9 a.m. are reported to you by 2 p.m. via fax, email, or phone, so you can take the necessary actions the same day. Samples brought in after 9 a.m. will be reported by 9 a.m. the next day. Our emergency wine testing provides results within 3 hours.

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Sample Submission Process

1. Pour the sample into a new, sterile container. Label the container with your name, serial number, description, and contact information.
   Whenever possible, use a PET bottle, as this is less likely to be damaged during transport.
   
   
2. Do not send fermenting batches by courier!
   
   
3. Always attach the completed sample submission form to the sample.
   
   
4. You can deliver the lab sample to us in two ways:
   In person at our shop in Villány.
   By mail, sending the package to the following address: 7773 Villány, Szent István u. 35.
   
   
5. You will be notified of the results at the contact information you provided.

We treat all data confidentially and store it long-term, so that even in case of data loss, it can be retrieved.

You can download our sample submission form by clicking HERE.

Required Sample Quantities for Analysis

• Complete analysis – 0.5 liters
• Partial analyses – 1–1.5 liters, depending on the requested analysis
• Trial clarification – 2 liters
• Stability – 2 liters