Our Laboratory

Click the “register for an account” link.

• Read and agree to the terms of use.
• Fill out your email address and click “Submit”
• You will receive a confirmation email. Click the link in the email to continue.
• Choose a password and enter it twice to verify.
• Use your email address and your new password to login to the system
• Enter your name, phone number, and position. Click Save.
• If you have not yet registered your winery, click “Register New Winery”
• Fill out your winery information. Click Save.
• In your winery account information, please be sure to include an email contact for the person who is responsible for receiving analysis results and the person responsible for receiving and paying invoices.

To navigate the site, first select the Laboratory Analysis portal, then use the links in the left-hand column.

To submit samples to the Analytical Laboratory, click Submissions, then click New Request.

• To add a new request, click “Add Request”
• Fill out the Sample Name (required), Grape Variety, and any applicable comments about the sample.
• Click the check box next to each test you would like to have performed on this sample. Click Save Request when you have selected all the tests you want.
• If you have more than one sample to submit at once, click “Add Request” to add the next sample.
• After entering the request for each sample, review your requests. If necessary, click the Edit or Remove links on the right hand side to modify or delete your selections.
• When you have finished entering samples, click Submit Requests.
• From the confirmation page, click “Confirm and Submit” if everything is correct, or click “Cancel” if you need to go back and make changes.
• After your request is submitted, your samples will appear at the Submissions page. You will be able to see the status (In Transit, Received, etc.) and the submission date.

If you prefer to submit a sample with a paper form you can download our service lab PDF form here. Please attach a completed copy of this form with you when you are dropping off or shipping your sample(s). One our of staff members will input your completed form into our online portal system. This is where you will receive your sample analysis report and invoice.

If you have a test in mind that you would like to have us run, please contact us. There are some methods that are not listed here due to their highly specialized nature or the fact that they are requested infrequently. We are also regularly evolving and expanding our capabilities, so new challenges are welcome. We will be happy to work with you to find an analysis plan that meets your needs. Please contact communications specialist at wine@iastate.edu

Contact us! We are here to help you solve problems, answer questions, and investigate the composition and properties of your wine. Tell us what you want to know, and we will work with you to figure it out. We will recommend specific tests that we can run, and explain what information the results can give you. Please contact our communications specialist at wine@iastate.edu

• Depending on the tests that you request, we may require anywhere from about 20ml up to one or two 750ml bottles. Please refer to the volumes indicated on the submission request form.
• Generally speaking, it is safer to send a larger volume than required. On the rare chance that we need to re-run a sample, your results will be delayed if we need to have you send us more.
• Whatever volume of sample you send, please limit the amount of headspace (air) in the bottle. Under-filling the sample container can result in changes to the wine chemistry while it is in transit to us.

• Be sure to label each sample with the ID you listed in your analysis request
• Glass bottles with tight-fitting caps are preferable.
• Please limit the amount of headspace (air) in the sample container.
• If there is any chance of the sample container coming open during transit, please seal tightly with tape and place in sealed plastic bag.
• If your sample is fermenting (or might start fermenting!) please:
  • ship for same-day or next-day delivery with cold packs (with delivery Mon-Fri, as we cannot receive samples on weekends)
  • For Malic Acid and Residual Sugar analyses should be shipped cold and same-day or next-day delivery if micro-organism are still present in the samples. This is to ensure the our results closes match to what it is in your tanks.
  • For Total Soluble Solids Analyses should always be shipped cold and same-day or next-day delivery. We want to give you the most accurate results.

• Be sure to label each sample with the ID you listed in your analysis request
• Make sure the sample container is tightly sealed, using tape to prevent the closure from coming loose if necessary.
• Protect the sample with sufficient packaging material
• For grape, juice, and fermenting samples, please make sure to keep the sample cold and ship for same-day or next-day delivery (Monday-Friday delivery only).
  • For Malic Acid and Residual Sugar analyses should be shipped cold and same-day or next-day delivery if micro-organism are still present in the samples. This is to ensure the our results closes match to what it is in your tanks.
  • For Total Soluble Solids Analyses should always be shipped cold and same-day or next-day delivery. We want to give you the most accurate results.
• Ship to: Midwest Grape and Wine Industry Institute, 536 Farmhouse Lane, Ames IA 50011

• Typically, we will have results by the end of the next business day after we receive your sample.
• For uncommon, highly specialized, or in-depth analysis, the timeline may be extended. Feel free to contact us for an estimate.
• On rare occasions, our staff may be unavailable to run your analysis immediately due to conferences, workshops, or out-of-town events. We try to keep our clients updated about these events through the MGWII website and our Facebook page.
• Submitting your request online helps alert us that we should expect a sample to arrive shortly, and if we know there is a conflict we will contact you to make other arrangements.
• If you know that your turnaround time is critical, you may contact us to confirm that we will be able to do what you need, when you need it.

• After the analysis is complete, a report is generated and you will receive an email alert. Please be sure to include email information for the person responsible for receiving analysis results in your winery account information.
• To view the report you need to login to the portal and you will see a “Reports” link on the left-hand side of the page. This link will take you to a list of the samples you have submitted, in order from most recent to least recent, and from there you may view the report for any sample (including past samples).

• After the analysis is complete, an invoice is generated and you will receive an email alert. Please be sure to include email information for the person responsible for receiving analysis results in your winery account information.
• After you log in to the Laboratory Analysis portal, you will see an “Invoices” link on the left-hand side of the page. This link will take you to a list of invoices that have been generated, in order from most recent to least recent, and from there you may view your most recent invoice (and its status) as well as previous invoices.

We currently offer a 20% discount to Iowa licensed wineries. On a case-by-case basis, we may provide other discounts depending on the specific circumstances. Please contact us to inquire if you think you may qualify.

• Any winery or vineyard in any state is welcome and encouraged to send us samples for analysis.
• Because we are here primarily to serve the Midwest, and Iowa in particular, we do offer discounts to in-state wineries.
• We are currently focused on the wine industry, but have some limited capabilities to analyze other types of samples (such as beer, hard cider, mead etc.) We are looking at the possibility of expanding our services to meet the needs of the brewing and distilling industries in the future.