Published Nov 7, 2025
A great wine stands out for its aroma and flavour. Swirling, sniffing, and sipping release a complex mix of chemical compounds created and enhanced during fermentation, and managing fermentation is essential to produce a high-quality product.
However, these measurements are technically challenging, so most winemakers send samples away to commercial testing laboratories. But what if winemakers were equipped to run the test themselves, whilst the process is occurring, for more confident fermentation monitoring and optimisation?
This opportunity inspired researchers at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington to develop simple biosensor tests that winemakers can use on-site. The first of these tests is licensed to Winechek, an Australian wine analysis and consultancy company, bringing the technology to winemakers in Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, and globally.
From research to real-world solution
The initial concept came, fittingly, over a glass of wine. Wayne Patrick, Professor of Biochemistry in the School of Biological Sciences, sounded out Central Otago winemakers about bottlenecks they faced during production, one being the need for rapid, accessible testing.
Backed by a Smart Ideas grant from MBIE’s Endeavour Fund, Wayne recruited PhD researcher Dr Lee Tejada, to engineer multi-enzyme systems that translate complex chemistry into user-friendly readouts for Yeast Assimilable Nitrogen (YAN). Lee’s YAN test delivers rapid and easily interpretable results. A simple colour change indicates whether enough nitrogen is present in harvested grapes for fermentation to be completed.
Lee and Wayne worked closely with the Bragato Research Institute, as well as winemakers around the country, to ensure that the format and accuracy of the YAN test matched real-world requirements. As getting nitrogen levels wrong can jeopardise an entire batch, the prototype was designed to replace traditional, time-consuming processes with a simple, reliable test that winemakers can use on the spot.
Alongside the research, Wayne and Lee worked with Wellington UniVentures to protect the intellectual property and explore pathways to market. UniVentures also supported Lee through KiwiNet’s Emerging Innovator Programme, equipping her with commercial skills and connections for her entrepreneurial journey, as her research moved from lab to market.
In 2025, that transition became a reality when Sam Wojcik, Senior Commercialisation Manager at Wellington UniVentures, negotiated a royalty-generating licence with Winechek to productise, scale, and distribute the enzyme-based YAN test. With Winechek, and its parent company, Laffort, a Bordeaux-based global leader in precision winemaking, the commercialisation pathway is set for biotechnology invented in Wellington to reach winemakers around the world. Biotechnology R&D has a lot to offer the wine industry, showcased in this innovative technology partnership that will enable faster, more confident fermentation management and, ultimately, better wine.
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