The recent fires in and around Victoria have thrown vintage plans into chaos. Now that the immediate fire danger has passed, many growers and winemakers are disturbed by the risk of smoke taint. Timely harvest decisions are being delayed while grapes are analysed and in many cases, fruit is being rejected on the basis of fear and poor information.

• Saves wine
• Saves energy
• Saves time

Electrodialysis (ED) is a viable and proven alternative to conventional cold stabilisation that is greatly reducing winemakers’ energy consumption and wine losses. ED is a rapid in-line process which replaces the method of cold storage and tartrate lees disposal.

With climate change predictions indicating more bushfires in future the Australian wine industry is worried it may literally go 'up in smoke'. Wineries around the world have only recently woken up to the damaging effect of bushfire smoke on their vintages. Fires in Victoria a couple of years ago cost the industry more than a $100-million.

A number of seminars were organised recently by Memstar distributor, Columbit in the Stellenbosch and Worcester areas of South Africa.

IP Australia, the Australian Government patent authority has recently granted and sealed a Standard Patent (No 2005252264) to Memstar Pty Ltd for its invention: "Alcohol Reduction in Beverages".