WSURF Case 409
Tannin Analysis Device
Summary
Retail sales of wine in the U.S. are on track to hit $23.2 billion in 2005. Wine sales at supermarkets and discount outlets have risen by 15% since the beginning of the decade. Overall wine consumption has shown a consistent growth of 6% year singe the mid 90's, while the premium wine segment of the market has experienced double digit growth since the mid 1980's. Within this segment, sales of private-label wine continue to post phenomenal gains and should reach nearly $1.3 million at the retail level this year. Meanwhile, the number of wineries in the United States has shown a growth rate of 13.2 percent, increasing to roughly 5,500, which represents ~10% of the total number of worldwide wine producers.
Prominent components that contribute taste and quality to a wine are condensed tannins formed from the polymerization of flavonoid phenols during grape berry development. During vinification, tannic balance in red wine arises from the relationship between seed and skin tannins. Skin tannins contribute to the wine's organoleptic properties, "fullness, roundness and color" while "structure and body" properties are attributed to seed tannins. These roles for tannin in the sensory quality of wine justify the avid interest of winemakers in developing a method to measure grape tannin content during growth and wine manufacture, as well as provide a tool to investigate cause and effect relationships throughout the winemaking process.
Methods presently utilized for tannin quantitation require an off site laboratory analysis typically done through a contract lab. On average a result will take two weeks; this is far from ideal for the small vineyard attempting to optimize a process to produce a high quality wine.
Applications & Advantages
- Small, hand-held device
- Capable of quantifying the tannin content from wine samples
- Rapid
- Accuracy and sensitivity vastly superior to current methodology
- Continued sales of consumables.
IP Status
This technology is protected by US Patent. Exclusive rights are available.
Publications
Wine Business Monthly
For more information about this technology please contact WSURF:
1610 NE Eastgate Blvd, Suite 650
Pullman, WA 99164
Phone: (509) 335-5526
Fax: (509) 335-7237
wsurf@wsu.edu
