Lab Proficiency

The American Society for Enology and Viticulture (ASEV) offers a Quality Systems for Winery Laboratories CD which highlights the principles of winery laboratory quality management. It also has an agreement with Collaborative Testing Services, Inc. (CTS) to administer an inter-laboratory testing program for ASEV members and other members of the wine industry in the U.S. ASEV also has a Lab Proficiency (ad hoc) Committee.

You can view the reports of the testing program.

Program Summary

The inter-laboratory program, segmented into testing three rounds, involves the sending of two 750 mL bottles of wine to each participating laboratory. Each lab will test according to its normal laboratory procedures, i.e., the testing of samples for the proficiency program shall flow through the routine work schedule of the winery lab, and the lab shall not attempt to provide any special care or treatment for these samples. Laboratory results will be analyzed using a comparative approach. Each laboratory will receive a printed, individual report within 3 weeks of the conclusion of each round and a summary report listing the data from all participating laboratories (on an anonymous basis) will be posted on the CTS Web Site, as listed in the link below. Organizations with a commitment to monitoring testing across multiple laboratories, may enroll for a Quality Manager Report that will compare the data from different sites.

Scope

Each individual laboratory will be asked to run and report on the following analyses: Alcohol by Volume, Total Sulfur Dioxide, Free Sulfur Dioxide, Titratable Acidity, Volatile Acidity, Specific Gravity, pH, Reducing Sugar, Malic Acid, Glucose + Fructose, Copper Content, A420 and A520. Selected research properties or analyses may be added periodically. Participants have the option to participate in all of the individual property tests and may submit data for any of the analyses tested. The participants can choose any method that they deem appropriate for the analyses, but need to specify methodology used when submitting their results to CTS.

Schedule and Fees

Participation is based on 3 scheduled rounds each year. The sample distribution months (March, June, and October) are chosen to minimize impact on the crush season. The current fee for participation for each 3-round schedule in a given year is US $720.00 (twelve or more analyses / three times per year).

Contact Information

For more information on the CTS Testing Program, contact: