Accuvin Press Releases

	Accuvin Founded Accuvin was founded in 1999 when Mike Miller realized there were no quick result tests to monitor his first year cabernet grapes for the optimum picking time. In 2000 he used his skills acquired working in the human diagnostics monitoring field to discover a patent pending process to remove anthyocyanins, enabling Quick Tests to be used for both red and white wines and winegrapes. Today Accuvin has Quick Tests to monitor Malolactic Fermentation's start, progress and completion (Malic Acid Tests and L-Lactic Acid Tests); to monitor for Microbial Contamination (D-Lactic Acid Tests); to monitor sugar content (Residual Sugar Tests); to monitor acid content (Titratable Acidity Tests); and to monitor the necessary balance of pH and SO2 (pH Tests and Free SO2 Tests). Accuvin promotes Monitoring - why? Through monitoring the very best wines and winegrapes are secured by preventing problems or identifying problems early when they are easier to solve and solutions are less intrusive. Consider monitoring as a series of snapshots of the elements in wine. Over a series of these snapshots we are aware how the wine is progressing. If Critical Numbers (those numbers which when reached require action) can be seen on the horizon before they occur or at the time they occur, corrective action can be taken earlier when intervention is most successful. Who should use Monitoring? Because Quick Tests provide the ability to monitor quickly and cheaply without needing laboratory equipment or training, they are being used by large wineries to monitor barrel by barrel, by large vineyards to monitor acre by acre, by small wineries and vineyards as their laboratories, and by True Hobbiest Winemakers (those who begin with grapes) at every juncture, just as a commercial winemaker, from harvest to bottling. Malolactic Fermentation (MLF) Winemakers put their wines through the process of Malolactic Fermentation (MLF) to achieve a mellowness on the palate, full-bodiedness, and stronger, easier to pick out characters Monitoring MLF is necessary to catch problems when they are small and solutions are easier and less intrusive. Now an e-Book discussing the Malolactic Fermentation Process by the Reluctant Chemist, Mike Miller, is free to download here. Just click onthe eBook icon at the left. Monitoring MLF was difficult before the advent of Accuvin Quick Tests' Malic Acid and L-Lactic Acid. Old wet chemistry tests require training of lab personnel, preparation of both wine samples and instruments, and an afternoon to run the tests. New instruments require "educating the equipment" to process each variety of grape. Accuvin Quick Tests do the job in just 4 minutes! Lab training of personnel is not required. Sample preparation is not required. Instrumentation is not required. Knowing when MLF had started and the bubbles were not just out-gassing was not available until Quick Tests" L-Lactic Acid tests. In France this test is used to find out the earliest time in spring to increase winery temperatures. The Numbers Kit for Wine Lovers Available now is a kit for wine lovers who want to know more about what in their favorite wines appeals to them. Do they like their wine put through malolactic fermentation so it is smoother, mellow on the palate, full-bodied, and full of character? Do they like their wines sweeter, dryer, or in between? What is their preferred level of acidity? Where does their wine fall on the pH chart - generally considered acceptable or less than acceptable? Malic Acid, Titratable Acidity, pH, and Residual Sugar easy-to-use wine analysis tests are included. These tests are products of Accuvin, the developer, manufacturer, and distributor of Quick Tests wine analysis tests worldwide. Included in the kit are: * Three numbers charts to record your results * Complete illustrated instructions * Everything required to run 15 Malic Acid colorimetric tests on the spot at a restaurant or in your home * Everything required to run 15 Titratable Acidity colorimetric tests on the spot * Everything required to run 15 pH colorimetric tests on the spot * Everything required to run 15 Residual Sugar colorimetric tests on the spot * Post card for 10 free Titratable Acidity tests since the Titratable Acidity test shelf life is half that of the other tests (free shipping on replacements) * FYI page for more information about the tests * Information on flavors in wines * Pages to record your favorite wines and their sources * Leather holder Introducing Free SO2 with a shelf life of 10 months When Accuvin introduced Free SO2 with a shelf-life of 4 months in May, 2004, we were gratified that it was accepted with much enthusiasm, worldwide. Almost immediately, though, we had requests for a longer shelf-life. Many solutions were proposed and investigated. But only the powder suggeston proved viable. This took some time since longevity is most accurately proved or disproved with the passage of time. Today we are introducing Free SO2 in a powder form that extends the shelf-life to 10 months, well through a crush season and beyond. The only difference with the new tests from the old is that reconstitution of the powder to a liquid form is required. Simply pour the clear liquid from a tube with a black cap into a tube with a red cap or a tube with a green cap, replace the red or green cap, and shake to dissolve powder. SO2 is used to test for native bacteria at crush, browing at crush, Lactic Acid Bacteria and Malolactic Organisms after alcholic fermentation, and enzymatic and chemical oxidation as well as a bacteria count during aging and just prior to bottling. The Accuvin Free SO2 (Free Sulfur Dioxide) kit measures the level of free SO2. The sulfur dioxide present in must and wine is not all useful as a preservative. Some is bound to other chemical components, reducing its effectiveness as a preservative by 30 - 70%. Also, the degree of binding can change over time, effecting the ability of an adequate dose to continue providing its preservative properties. The effectiveness of sulfur dioxide as a preservative is also pH - dependent, with low pH wines requiring lower levels, and high pH wines requiring significantly greater concentrations to achieve the same effectiveness as a typical wine with a pH of 3.3 - 3.4. New Blog Available Mike Miller, founder of ACCUVIN and head of product development, started his own blog, www.wineanalysisblog.com on 10 June 2008. He has done voluminous research in the wine analysis field and daily increases his library (information resources). His blog is a way for him to offer his research to fellow wine analysis players. He wants to hear the daily successes and problems encountered in wine analysis. Often these conversations lead research activities from possible new products to improvements of present products. ACCUVIN has from its beginning had the mission of interpreting the complicated language of science reports to understandable language for the non-scientist. The language of the chemist is one of the most difficult to decipher. Mike writes for the non-chemist AND for the chemist. He uses bibliography as a tool for presenting material much beyond the capacity of a blog, MMMAlmanac, or eBook. His first blog is the story of how he ended up where he is. His years as an analytical chemist in the blood testing field, his vineyard, the best Cabernet saufignon on the planet, the development of ACCUVIN. Future blogs will address anything you want as well as anything he wants. Join in! www.wineanalysisblog.com


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