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Wine microbiology is one of our specialties. From routine culturing of bottled wines for yeasts, to sleuthing the cause of a complicated microbial problem, we can assist you with your microbiological needs and questions, and advise you and your staff on controlling microbes in the winery (especially Brettanomyces).
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| Director Lisa Van de Water (at microscope in photo) is internationally recognized for her work on microbial wine spoilage. She often gives talks and seminars on monitoring and managing wine microbes. |
| Procedure |
Comments |
Min.Sample Qty |
Microscopic Exam
(detection limit 2,000 cells/ml) |
Brief (for most cellar samples
Detailed (for most bottled wine samples) |
5 ml
5 ml |
| Yeast Population |
Neubauer
Methylene Blue |
Count
Viability estimate, white must
Viability estimate, red must (centrifuge, rinse) |
10 ml
15 ml
15 ml |
Culture, Direct
(detection limit 2 cells/ml) |
For yeast/mould, Brett, & bacteria
For ONLY Dekkera/Brettanomyces
For ONLY red wine spoilage organisms*
Brettanomyces, Acetobacter, Pediococcus, brief microscope exam for Lactobacillus included |
10 ml
10 ml
10 ml |
Culture, Membrane Filtration
(for filtered wines or wines with less than 2 cells/ml) |
For yeast/mould, Brett, & bacteria
For ONLY Dekkera/Brettanomyces
Note: an unopened bottle is needed for culturing bottled wine. |
500 ml
10-100 ml |
| Species Identification |
Sequencing of ribosomal DNA from 16S (bacteria) or 28S (yeast) |
Pure Colony |
About Microbe Testing
- Unfiltered, or filtered samples that are still cloudy: Culture by direct methods or examine under the phase contrast microsope. Lowest numbers of cells to detect is 2 cfu/ml.
- Unfiltered barrel samples: Usually we culture these sample by direct methods, but on request we can filter such samples to detect Dekkera/Brettanomyces below 2 cfu/ml.
- Clear or filtered samples, and samples likely to have fewer than 2 cfu/ml (colony-forming units) of the microbes in question: these samples are most appropriate to culture by membrane filtration.
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Viable but not Culturable (VBNC)
Certain microbes sometimes do not grow in culture even
though they are still alive and can grow later.
SO2 ADDITIONS CAN INDUCE THE VBNC STATE IN BRETTANOMYCES
VERY IMPORTANT: WAIT AT LEAST 2 WEEKS AFTER ADDING
SO2 BEFORE TAKING SAMPLES FOR CULTURING
Lactobacilli seldom grow in culture under any circumstances,
so a microscopic exam is the best way to detect the presence of Lactobacilli |
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