Léonie Lebain
Between early harvests, rising alcohol levels, and economic pressures, the 2026 vintage requires increased vigilance from wine industry professionals. Antoine Gruau, sales representative and oenologist at Laboratoires Dujardin-Salleron, discusses the challenges of conducting analytical monitoring directly at the winery.
In the current economic climate, why has it become particularly valuable to analyze wines directly at the winery?
Antoine Gruau, Technical Sales Oenologist for France at Dujardin-Salleron : Today, winegrowers must optimize costs while maintaining high standards for their wine quality. This makes on-site analysis all the more relevant.
It reduces the need to travel to drop off samples at the laboratory or wait for them to be collected. This saves time and fuel and, above all, enables a faster response.
It also simplifies day-to-day wine monitoring and adds value to the teams' work. With the right equipment, staff can develop their skills, become more independent and make the right decisions more quickly.
The 2026 harvest was once again marked by exceptionally early conditions. What consequences have you observed?
Antoine Gruau: The years are following one another and looking more alike! In 2008, some Cabernet grapes were still being harvested in October. This year, at the same time, the tanks have already been emptied and the presses put away until next year.
But this early harvest brings new challenges, notably soaring alcohol levels. Even in Champagne, the 13% ABV threshold was authorized for base wines.
Under these conditions, monitoring ripeness and conducting regular analyses are essential. They make it easier to anticipate developments and adapt technical decisions throughout vinification.
What are the main areas of concern for wines from this vintage?
Antoine Gruau: This year's conditions mean we need to pay particular attention to the balance of the wines. We can expect very low total acidity, high pH levels and increased sensitivity to microbiological deviations.
Cooling requirements also remain significant, even at this early stage of autumn.
All these factors require rigorous analytical monitoring. It is essential to regularly check acidity, pH, SO₂ levels and dissolved oxygen. With such high stakes, there is no room for error. The more regular the checks, the easier it is to anticipate problems rather than having to correct them.
Has equipment hygiene also become a more important issue?
Antoine Gruau: Absolutely. We are seeing increased hygiene control requirements, particularly with ATP testing, as well as for monitoring mains and rinsing water.
The aim is to ensure that cleaning and dismantling operations are truly effective and to reduce the risk of contamination.
In the current economic climate, a non-compliance issue can quickly have serious consequences. This is all the more regrettable when it could have been avoided with a few simple checks.
Prevention is therefore essential, and hygiene control tools have a rightful place in day-to-day equipment management.
What equipment do you recommend to winegrowers to help them monitor their wines with confidence?
Antoine Gruau: I would highlight four solutions that are particularly well suited to the current needs of wineries.
- The LQA Wine , a simple, intuitive tool that makes it possible to perform and validate routine analyses directly at the winery.
- The DS Sulfi , an excellent compromise for simple, reliable monitoring of SO₂ levels in wines.
- The HQ1130 Oximeter , which makes it easy to monitor dissolved oxygen reliably, an essential parameter for controlling oxidation risks.
- The Hygiene Kit , which brings together the equipment needed to check the effectiveness of cleaning and dismantling operations.
The idea is not to turn every winery into a laboratory, but to give professionals the means to perform essential checks themselves, using reliable, easy-to-use equipment. Climatic conditions are changing, wine balances are shifting, and economic pressures are very real.
Today, having reliable analysis results quickly available is an asset for truly managing vinification and safeguarding wine quality. On-site analysis is no longer simply a matter of convenience: it is a tool for technical, economic and qualitative control.
