A new, quick test for detecting Brettanomyces in wine

he Excell laboratory is continuing its research into Brettanomyces bruxellensis, launching Senso B, a liquid enrichment medium designed for early detection of Brettanomyces yeast which generates volatile phenols. Senso B has similarities with SniffBrett and draws on the same principle, but with one major difference. “It is odourless before usage whereas SniffBrett can have a pharmaceutical smell before being used. When Brettanomyces develop, you can really smell the volatile phenols”, explains Vincent Renouf, director of the Excell laboratory.

Senso B is designed as a routine control tool used in the cellar itself. The protocol is simple: collect 20 ml of wine, place them in the vial then wait for it to go cloudy or develop sediment. These visual signs, coupled with the smell released, indicate whether the test is positive or not. “When the wine turns cloudy, the vial needs to be smelled. If you can smell stable or horse sweat notes, the test is positive”, adds Renouf. The onset time provides an indicator of the level of risk.

“From 3 days onwards, you are dealing with a population that can subsequently pose a problem. The S02 or tank temperature should be checked, if the wine has been racked, or the volatile phenols should be measured”, he continues. “If it occurs earlier, within 24 to 48 hours, then immediate measures should be taken”.

Where Senso B really comes into its own is the speed of detection, which is much quicker than for analyses conducted after Brettanomyces is suspected, and also its cost. The vial costs €9.07 excluding VAT, or €54.42 for a box of six, which is significantly less than a PCR analysis.