it depends on grape composition, microbes like yeast, and environmental conditions such as temperatures, rainfall amounts and soil quality where grapevines are growing. Traditionally, researchers conduct pilot-scale fermentations of about 5 gallons to evaluate things like grape quality or yeast behavior, but they take time and money. However, a new study by a team of researchers led by Penn State food scientists has shown that a quicker, cheaper option called microvinification - fermentations of 50 milliliters, about a quarter cup - is reliable and convenient for studying wine chemistry.
"With proper replication - doing enough repeated tests - microvinifications can give trustworthy results," said study senior author Misha Kwasniewski, associate research professor of food science in the College of Agricultural Sciences. "These small-scale tests can be a powerful, cost-effective way to improve research accuracy, predict how wine will turn out based on grape chemistry and support commercial wine-production decisions."
