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INTRODUCING Accuvin's Reliable

FREE SO2

Now with a shelf life of 10 months!

	Laboratory Training Sessions			Equipment Preparations
	Purchasing EXPENSIVE Lab Equipment and Supplies			Sample Preparations

Just open our kits with everything required inside! Follow the easy, illustrated instructions, compare color of test tube with color chart for test result, then throw away used items. When all tests are used, throw kit away!

For more information about
Free SO2, see Press Room
on right of this page,

or

Click on Free SO2 at left
of this page

table test

Malic Acid test kit	L-Lactic Acid test kit
Titratable Acidity test kit	pH test kit
Free SO2 test kit	Residual Sugar test kit
D-Lactic Acid test kit	Numbers Kit for Wine Lovers

PRESENT ACTIVITIES IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE AND SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

Recent news items on global warming and carbon footprints have led to many discussions on conservation. In response, a major grocery chain in the U.K. (Tesco) and wine merchants in New York City have been promoting the concept of "food miles," i.e., the shorter the distance your food travels from source to table, the better it is ecologically.

But wait a minute; it's not as easy as that. Farming and production methods must be taken into consideration if a truly informed decision is to be made regarding which food option has the smaller carbon footprint. Researchers at Lincoln University in New Zealand determined that lamb raised in New Zealand and shipped to the U.K. had a far smaller carbon footprint than lamb raised right in the U.K. Also, wine shipped from New Zealand had a smaller footprint in London than wine shipped by truck from France or Spain. How could this be so? A favorable climate that leads to higher yields, environmentally-friendly farming practices, and energy from a high percentage of renewable sources were major factors. Shipment by ship rather than truck also factored in.

When making purchasing decisions, always look at the big picture. And don't forget to enjoy your wine. The carbon dioxide emissions from the average per capita consumption of wine in the U.S. are still less than 10% of the emissions from the average per capita consumption of milk. And even at 2 bottles of wine per week, a wine drinker is still emitting less carbon dioxide than a person consuming 3 cheeseburgers per week.

What can be done? Consider lighter bottles that cost less to ship. Consider using cork closures since they have a smaller carbon footprint than screw cap closures (unless you need screw cap closures because of contaminated corks or to prevent oxidation). Consider adding insulation for heated or cooled tanks. In the vineyard consider using native crop cover to help reduce temperature in warmer areas and to lower irrigation needs. Also consider using grape marc for mulch. Consider options for rootstocks more suitable for each site than own-rooted plants. Monitor acid balance as harvest approaches to prevent sugars from spiraling out of control.

Sources: "British Journalist's Environmental Advice Angers New Zealand Wine Producers," Wine Spectator online, 19 Jun 2007; "Red, white and "green": the cost of carbon in the global wine trade," American Association of Wine Economists working paper no. 9, Oct 2007; "Carbon Footprints," Ethical Fine Wines, 2007; "The Validity of Food Miles as an Indicator of Sustainable Development," Defra, Jun 2005; "Food Miles - Comparative Energy/Emissions Performance of New Zealand's Agriculture Industry" Lincoln University, Jul 2006; "The Carbon Cost from Farm to Fork," Newsweek, 17 Mar 2008; "Myths on CO2 Food Miles," The Australian online edition, 10 Mar 2008; "Climate Change and Wine," Barcelona, 15 Feb 2008.

PRESS ROOM
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. (download free our "How SO2 and pH are Linked" Almanac from AccuvinMedia at left).

Experts Available to Answer Questions
Mike Miller:
email questions to mmiller@accuvin.com
call 541-753-4568

Elizabeth Kilpatrick:
email at elizabethk@accuvin.com