Grapevine viruses can shorten the life of infected grapevines and reduce both the quality and yield of grapes. Several viruses have been associated with graft incompatibility. In some cases, especially in many white grape varieties and non-vinifera rootstocks, virus-infected vines do not show symptoms, but the virus can spread to susceptible neighbouring vines and vineyards.

The majority of this content was originally published in Aust. NZ Grapegrower & Winemaker, March 2022 – Issue 698. Introduction Affinity Labs has recently changed the way smoke panel analysis results are reported for Australian customers. Apart from numerical results, reports now include graphs showing where the results sit compared to levels typically present in

Introduction Research at the AWRI and other research organisations has demonstrated that phenolic compounds such as guaiacol, 4 methylguaiacol, cresol and syringol contribute to off-flavours and aromas in wine made from grapes that have been exposed smoke. These volatile phenols can also bind to sugars within grape berries to form phenolic glycosides, which also contribute

Affinity Labs main testing laboratory is located in Adelaide, South Australia. Importing plant material for laboratory analysis or research purposes is regulated in our state under the Plant Health Act 2009 and the South Australian Plant Quarantine Standard. Our laboratory is a CA12 Accredited laboratory within South Australia which allows us to receive diagnostic plant

Ethyl carbamate and urethane is formed during the production of wine resulting from the reaction between urea or other related precursors and ethanol. Urea is derived largely from the yeast metabolism of arginine, which is an abundant amino acid in grape juice. The rate of production of ethyl carbamate is influenced by the concentration of

Phthalates are widely used as additives (plasticisers) in the production of plastic materials, such as PVC, and act to soften the materials to increase its processability, flexibility and extensibility. They are also added to paints, varnishes and rubbers as well as to certain food packaging materials. Phthalates are not chemically bound to the materials they

Brettanomyces bruxellensis (Brett) is a yeast which can cause significant spoilage in beverages through the production of volatile phenol compounds. These compounds are associated with undesirable sensory characters such as ‘Band-Aid’, ‘medicinal’, ‘horsy’ and ‘barnyard’. Beverage producers should be aware of the prevalence of Brett and have a prevention strategy in place, even if spoilage

The client Brown Brothers is a member of Australia’s First Families of Wine (AFFW) and proudly boasts a reputation as a true innovator and trailblazer, both in Australia and overseas. The multi-generation family of winemakers has been based in the King Valley region of Victoria since 1889 and has pioneered alternative varieties, such as Moscato,

Evaluating an innovative glass closure The client The Vinolok glass closure is manufactured in the Czech Republic and used worldwide by thewine and spirits sector. The company prides itself on developing unique and elegantclosures, using sustainable practices. The challenge The Vinolok glass closure provided a viable alternative to established wine closures, such asscrewcaps and cork,

Long-term closure performance benchmarking trial The client Diam Bouchage is the leading global supplier of technical cork closures for the wine andspirits sector. The company sells over 2 billion closures globally every year and suppliesmore than 80 countries worldwide.The company prides itself on designing innovative products to provide wines and spiritsproducers with closures that optimise