Affinity Labs, part of the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI), is proud to celebrate 40 years of continuous NATA accreditation; a milestone that highlights the organisation’s long-standing commitment to scientific rigour and industry service.
Formerly known as the AWRI Technical Service Laboratory, Affinity Labs first achieved NATA accreditation in 1986, becoming one of the first accredited laboratories in the Australian wine industry. This achievement came at a pivotal moment, as exports of wine to the European Economic Community (EEC) surged and accredited VI-1 analyses became mandatory for market access.
Between 1983 and 2000, Australian wine exports expanded from 3% of a 400,000-tonne vintage to 60% of nearly 2 million tonnes. This rapid growth placed increasing demands on analytical capability, traceability and validity, reinforcing the need for a formalised, internationally recognised robust quality system.
What began in the early 1980s as ad hoc analytical support for local wineries – led by Terry Lee, Gary Baldwin and Ken Pocock – quickly evolved into a professional, fee-for-service laboratory. Early collaborations also included work with AMDEL (Australian Mineral Development Laboratories) for metal testing, supporting technical capability and industry confidence. As demand grew alongside export requirements, NATA accreditation became a natural and necessary progression in ensuring the integrity and global acceptance of Australian wine analysis.
Following accreditation, the AWRI established an interwinery analysis group to help wineries achieve their own accreditation, strengthening national capability and supporting the industry’s rapid export growth. In 2001, the AWRI gained recognition with the OECD Principles of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) covering all non-clinical agrochemical residue testing.
Today, Affinity Labs offers a comprehensive range of consulting and analytical testing services to the food and beverage industry, including chemical and microbiological analysis, sensory assessment and export certification services for a wide range of global markets.
In 2025, the laboratory processed just under 23,000 samples, generating around 35,000 accredited analyses using 16 NATA ISO/IEC 17025 accredited methods. Across both ISO/IEC 17025 and OECD GLP programs within the Analytical and Trace Laboratories, more than 100,000 analyses are conducted annually which reflects the scale, depth and sustained demand for accredited services.
Affinity Labs’ customers know its NATA accredited methods provide confidence that Australian food and beverages are safe, compliant and exactly what they claim to be.
