The lab is the decision-making hub of a winery, and wine lab management is what turns scattered measurements into winemaking decisions. Every analysis guides an action. But in many small US wineries, lab data lives in the winemaker's notebook, disconnected from the production management system.

Analyses by Stage

Harvest (pre-crush)

Brix, pH, total acidity.
Phenolic maturity (reds): color, tannin.
Yeast Assimilable Nitrogen (YAN).

Fermentation

Brix/SG: daily during active fermentation.
Temperature: 2-3 times/day.
Volatile acidity: weekly.

Aging

Free and total SO₂: monthly.
Volatile acidity: monthly.
Color (absorbance): quarterly.

Pre-bottling

Complete analysis: alcohol, TA, VA, RS, SO₂, pH.
Tartrate stability (cold test).
Protein stability (whites).
Turbidity (NTU).
Microbiology (for sensitive wines).

TTB Compliance

TTB requires that finished wine parameters fall within legal limits:

Alcohol: within ±1.5% of label (for wines ≤14%) or ±1% (>14%).
SO₂: ≤350 ppm.
Volatile acidity limits by wine type.

Lab records must support the accuracy of label claims.

Cepaos: Integrated Lab

In Cepaos, analyses are recorded directly linked to the lot:

Full analytical history per lot and tank.
Auto-check against TTB limits and export market limits.
Tech sheet generation with real data.
Parameter evolution charts.

Start with Cepaos →