Vineyard & Winery Management

May/June 2013

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Outfitting a Winery Lab SOIL REMI COHEN & CELLAR Many routine analyses can be done in-house When choosing to purchase any technology-based (read: expensive) wine laboratory equipment, it's a good idea to perform a costbenefit analysis. This begins with a return-on-investment assessment of performing the assays in-house versus sending them out to a certified lab. similar facilities to learn about what works best for them. There are several routine assays that can be done at the winery that are relatively inexpensive. Equipment prices mentioned here are estimates; you should contact suppliers to get an exact quote, especially since there are often different models and modules available. But first, where are you going to put lab equipment you purchase, and where will you do the analyses? DESIGN THE SPACE SHORT COURSE Photo: Thinkstock This decision, which is going to be based on sampling quantity and frequency, will depend on the cost of the equipment and the reagents used in the analysis, as well as the time and labor spent on the analysis. The cost of outsourcing depends on the proximity to a reliable lab, and the lab's pricing for assays. Also factor in your winery's technical labor availability and cost. If you purchase a piece of equipment, access to maintenance and service support must be considered. Like any business decision, the choice of equipment and vendors is going to take some research and analysis; it's important to take the time to talk to colleagues at w w w. v w m media.com In order for a winery lab to operate efficiently, it needs to be designed properly. It may be prudent to + Begin with an ROI assessment of hire a professional designer performing assays in-house versus who has experience with sending samples out to a lab. the functionality needed for a lab, as well as the safety + A basic winery lab should be able to and compliance requireperform analysis of Brix, pH and total ments. acidity, as well as SO2 and alcohol. A typical lab layout would + A spectrophotometer can be a either have an island in the critical piece of equipment for any center of a small lab, or a winery that wants to perform more few peninsulas of deskanalyses in-house. top space in a larger lab. In either case, the selection of + Foss offers two lines of routine a durable desktop material broad-spectrum analyzers, OenoFoss is important, as is minimizand WineScan. ing joints and cracks. Office and filing space need to be considered, as well as whether or not it makes sense to have separate rooms for these needs. The location of the lab should be considered for ease of sampling and delivery, optimal flow and access of information, but not a thoroughfare for continual traffic, as safety is a consideration. Proper airflow and ventilation, temperature control and lighting must be figured into the design. Safety equipment will be needed, such as safety M a y - J u n e 2 0 13 | V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T 35

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