In the fight against Brett, winemakers need to have access to the best technology possible. For many years now, the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) has been developing cutting edge technology, and engaging in 'on the ground' communications work to bring this technology to Australian producers.
The scourge of Brettanomyces and the need for sanitising.
Over the past few years Brettanomyces or Dekkera (Brett for short) have been spreading rapidly throughout wineries in Australia causing much unwanted wine taint, specifically in the form of volatile phenols or ‘sweaty leather’. Brett yeasts are a natural component of the winemaking process, which makes it almost impossible to eliminate completely and unsurprisingly they find themselves in winery air, on cellar walls, drains, pumps, transfer lines and other pieces of equipment.