Precision in every drop

Robert Pride looks at how process-driven analysis is transforming winemaking.

In today’s competitive wine industry, consistency and stability are built not only on experience, instinct and craftsmanship but on data, precision, and process. Process-driven analysis brings a proactive, science-based approach to winemaking – empowering producers to make informed decisions at every stage.

At Campden Wine Services, we work with wineries of all sizes to apply this method, helping them produce better wine, minimise risk, cut costs, and protect their brands.

What is process-driven analysis?

Process-driven analysis is a structured system of monitoring and testing wine throughout production – not just at bottling. It combines laboratory testing, sensory evaluation, and real-time process monitoring to improve quality, safety, and efficiency.

Unlike traditional quality control, which reacts to faults after they occur, this method prevents problems before they develop by monitoring and responding to chemical, microbiological, and physical parameters from grape to bottle.

A strategic approach to every stage

From the vineyard to the bottling line, process-driven analysis applies targeted testing and control strategies at each production step:

1. Stage-specific testing

Grape maturity/quality: Brix, pH, titratable acidity, phenolics, yeast assimilable nitrogen (YAN), disease status
Fermentation kinetics: Sugar drop, temperature, yeast health, volatile acidity, organoleptic assessment
Post-fermentation: Malolactic fermentation (MLF) tracking, sulphur dioxide (SO₂) levels, microbial stability
Pre-bottling: Tartrate, protein, colour and microbial stability assessments. Antioxidants and preservatives within permitted ranges. Density measurements for accurate fill volumes.
Packaging: Dissolved oxygen (DO) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels, closure integrity, fill volume
Post-bottling: Product meets regulatory, labelling, safety and quality requirements.

These analytical insights allow producers to adapt their approach in real time, preventing issues such as stuck ferments, oxidation, reductive sulphur faults, instabilities, or re-fermentation in bottle. For example, confirming the completion of MLF allows winemakers to add SO₂ promptly, helping prevent oxidative and microbial spoilage during storage.

2. Root cause analysis

When a fault occurs, the challenge is not only to fix it – but to understand why it happened. Process-driven analysis traces problems like oxidation, Brettanomyces contamination, or reductive sulphur faults back to their source. Was it a barrel hygiene issue? Insufficient YAN? Oxygen pickup on the bottling line? Identifying and correcting these variables ensures problems aren’t repeated in future vintages.

3. Data integration

Successful wineries don’t just collect data – they integrate process-driven analysis to turn it into actionable insight. Campden Wine Services helps producers unlock the full value of their data by:

Integrating accurate laboratory results (chemical and microbiological), sensory evaluations, and operational metrics (such as tank temperatures and fermentation timelines) to support smarter, evidence-based decision-making.
Identifying patterns and trends over time to anticipate potential issues before they impact quality.

4. Feedback loops for continuous improvement

One of the greatest strengths of process-driven analysis is its ability to create feedback loops: results lead to targeted changes in winemaking protocols, which are then monitored and refined. This cycle enables:

Tailored SO₂ management
More efficient fining programs
Smarter filtration or stability treatments

Why use a process-driven approach?

Benefit	Explanation
Consistency	Helps maintain uniform quality across vintages, batches, and bottlings.
Fault prevention	Early identification of deviations can prevent spoilage or product recalls.
Efficiency	Identifies where processes can be optimised or streamlined.
Regulatory compliance	Supports traceability and documentation required by industry bodies.
Customer assurance	Ensures wines meet defined quality standards and consumer expectations.

Solving common wine faults before they start

Process-driven analysis is particularly effective in addressing the most common and costly wine faults:

Brettanomyces: Controlled through early detection, improved hygiene, and SO₂ management.
Oxidation: Prevented by monitoring dissolved oxygen and SO₂ levels during racking, filtration, storage and bottling.
Volatile acidity: Linked to fermentation health, winery hygiene, and yeast nutrition.
Reductive sulphur compounds: Prevented by monitoring YAN and fermentation health, and by applying targeted nutrient supplementation and/or micro-oxygenation.
Cork taint (TCA): Managed via environmental monitoring and cork supplier validation.
Re-fermentation in bottle: Avoided through residual sugar control and sterile filtration verification.

Tools of the trade

Campden Wine Services uses a broad suite of state-of-the-art analytical tools and technologies to support process-driven strategies, including:

Enzymatic and FTIR analysis
Density and NIR-based testing
HPLC and Wet Chemistry
Microbial plating and PCR for spoilage organisms
DO/CO₂ sensors for packaging integrity
Sensory analysis panels
GC-MS and GC-FID for faults detection
Spectrophotometry and ICP-MS

Smarter testing, leaner operations

Process-driven analysis helps wineries cut costs by improving efficiency, reducing waste, and preventing quality issues through proactive, data-driven management.

Here’s how process-driven analysis can lead to cost savings across the winery:

Preventing wine faults means avoiding lost batches, reprocessing, or downgrading to bulk wine.
Targeted additions (like diammonium phosphate or bentonite) based on laboratory results reduce overuse, preserve desirable flavours and aromas and prevent volume loss.
Real-time fermentation data enables timely interventions – avoiding costly stuck or sluggish ferments and reductive sulphur faults.
DO monitoring and control reduces need for antioxidants like ascorbic acid or high SO₂ dosing.
Precision cleaning schedules based on microbial data reduce chemical and water usage.

Area	Cost saving	How
Wine faults	Avoid product loss	Early detection of spoilage or instability
Additives	Use less	Targeted additions, not blanket treatments
Fermentation	Lower risk	Prevent stuck ferments, rework and faults
Lab tests	Efficiency	Focused, stage-appropriate testing
Packaging	Reduce failures	Lower oxygen pickup, accurate fill
Cleaning	Reduce overuse	Target cleaning with data

Final thoughts

Process-driven analysis is more than just a technical buzzword – it’s a strategic mindset for modern wineries. By understanding how process variables influence wine outcomes, producers can ensure better consistency, fewer faults, and smarter production choices at every stage.

At Campden Wine Services, we help wineries implement this approach through expert guidance and precision testing – bringing decades of wine science and industry insight to your cellar door.

Ready to take a proactive approach to wine quality?

Speak to our team at Campden Wine Services to learn how process-driven analysis can support your quality goals, save you money, and deliver wines your customers value and trust.

Campden BRI and Campden Wine Services

Campden Wine Services offers a comprehensive range of analytical packages and bespoke testing, training, and consultancy services. Areas of expertise include organoleptic assessment by an expert sensory panel, volatile flavour and aroma compound analysis, fault and taint detection (including smoke taint), allergen, pesticide residue, and mycotoxin testing, trace metal analysis, shelf-life evaluation, wine authenticity verification, troubleshooting and root-cause analysis, regulatory advice, and export certification. Campden BRI are happy to provide guidance and quotations for any of these services. For more information, visit campdenbri.co.uk/services/brewing.php, or contact us directly for advice, availability, and pricing.

wines@campdenbri.co.uk

robert.pride@campdenbri.co.uk