(LEAD) Laboratory of Oenology and Alcoholic Drinks

The laboratory of Oenology & Alcoholic Beverages of the Agricultural University of Athens provides teaching and research services on: -Wine technology, brewing & alcoholic beverages -Microbiology of must and wine, -The chemical composition of grapes, musts, wines & alcoholic beverages -Sensory analysis of grape, wine, beer & alcoholic beverages -Fining, filtration, bottling procedures -Ageing of wines & alcoholic beverages Our main research interest is to explore the potential of Greek native grape varieties to produce high-quality wines as well as to promote control over the enological practices in order to improve wine quality in Greece. We have initiated our research by studying both the chemical composition of Greek grape varieties and the necessary methodologies to produce internationally known wines. A huge project was set up in order to study the main and most known Greek varieties from all over Greece by analyzing both grapes and the corresponding wines in order to establish appropriate winemaking protocols regarding the required viticultural and enological practices. Many analytical methods which are required to achieve this goal have been already set up in our lab. Our laboratory is equipped with research equipment in order to realize important projects focused mainly on wine aromatic compounds and polyphenols. Moreover, a small pilot plant winery was built in order to train new scientists and to set up experimental winemaking procedures. We produce the wine of the Agricultural University of Athens in our winery every year. Collaboration with wineries was established since the early beginning of our laboratory and it is going on. Applied research projects were set up with known wineries. Recently research and development projects for French companies were set up, one with the well-known tonnelerie NADALIE, FERMENTIS (division of LESAFFRE yeast) and DIAM. Collaboration with companies providing wine analysis equipment are also under discussion.