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Before ACCUVIN Quick Tests, testing at will was not an option for most wineries. Many times guesses, "educated" guesses, sufficed.

Today monitoring MLF is available for all wineries!

Testing MLF as often as desired is now an option because ACCUVIN Quick Tests Malic Acid Tests can be done in less than 5 minutes and cost less than $2.25 each.

For more information see PRESS ROOM at the right of this page.

WineAnalysisBlog.com present topic is "The Advantage of Testing at Harvest."

	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 strip or test tube with color chart for test result, then throw away used items. When all tests are used, throw kit away!

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

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
New Ad Campaign
ACCUVIN announces a new ad campaign aimed at wineries featuring reserve wines, winemakers choice wines, and other specialty wines; large wineries seeking cost efficiencies; and small wineries monitoring smaller wine production lots.

The choice of whether or not to monitor MLF has often been a balancing act between cost and desired knowledge. Now winemakers can choose to follow a wine's progress as often as they wish with Malic Acid Quick Tests from ACCUVIN.

Advantages of monitoring will include:
1. better flavor management;
2. early identification of "stuck" MLF for timely corrective action;
3. addition of sulfites or implementation of other preservative practices at a known stage of winemaking;
4. reduced risk of bacterial contmaination;
5. avoidance of the development of off flavors;
6. faster tank turnaround.

ACCUVIN offers Malic Acid kits of 20 tests, 50 tests, and 100 tests. Also L-Lactic Acid test kits (for confirming the initiation of MLF) are available in 5 test and 20 test sizes.

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

Elizabeth Kilpatrick:
email at elizabethk@accuvin.com