ABOUT THE LABORATORY
Science in service of the winemaker
Wine Analytical Service Laboratory offers a wine analysis service to the winemaking industry in the Stellenbosch region, South Africa.
OUR ORIGIN
Born in the heart of the Cape Winelands
The laboratory started off as a part of Spier Wines in the prestigious and multi-faceted wine farm in the heart of the Cape Winelands, to render wine analysis services to the wine producing activities on the farm itself.
Over time this service also expanded to include certain customers from other wine producing cellars in the geographical area — winemakers who needed the same standard of accuracy and the same quick turnaround.
FOUNDER
Merecia Smith
Founder & Laboratory Manager
Merecia joined Spier Wine Farm in 1998, moved into the wine analysis laboratory four years later, and rose through the ranks to manage it by 2018. In July 2019 she launched Wine Analytical Service Laboratory as her own independent business.
“Our prime focus is accuracy, quick turnaround time — with a special personal touch.”
RECOGNITION
Award-winning, and recognised nationally
Warrior Woman Award 2024
Merecia Smith was recognised with the Warrior Woman Award 2024 for Excellence in Entrepreneurship, presented by Good Hope FM.
Top 30 Under 30
Rudi Smith, wine analyst at WASLab, has been recognised in the Top 30 Under 30 — continuing the family’s contribution to the Stellenbosch wine industry.
Top 3 in South Africa
WASLab has ranked as a top 3 wine laboratory in South Africa for the past four years.
HOW WE WORK
Two levels of service
CORE FOCUS
Analysis for the cellar
WASLab’s core focus is on the wine producing industry of Spier Wines itself. The laboratory analyses all wine samples according to the requirements of the cellar’s winemakers. The purpose is to give winemakers scientific information and values of the status and content of their wines so that they can make adjustments to the winemaking and storage process, if required, to produce wines of a good and specific quality. Analysing activities peak during the annual winemaking season from March to July, where the laboratory’s service forms an essential part of the chain of activities to produce wine of a high quality.
SECONDARY LEVEL
Bulk, export & bottling
On a secondary level the laboratory is responsible to analyse already produced wine that is bought in bulk from external sources and other cellars. It is also responsible for analysis of wine exported in bulk and of wine to be bottled for the local market. Wine exported in bulk is analysed before being shipped as well as upon arrival in the destination country. This quality control measure serves to determine possible changes that might have occurred in the wine during shipping and to verify the quality of the wine delivered to the customer.
QUALITY ASSURANCE
How we keep results trustworthy
Sample analysis takes place according to schedules that the winemakers submit with the samples to be analysed. Analysis is a complex process which is done according to ISO 17025 and ISO 22000 guidelines and principles.
Association standing
Wine Analytical Services is part of the Wine Laboratories Association (SAWLA), and is ranked a top 3 wine laboratory in South Africa for the past four years.
Daily QC checks
Daily quality control checks against a known standard are performed before any client wine samples are analysed. The daily checks are recorded.
Calibrated equipment
All equipment is calibrated, so that every value reported back to the winemaker can be relied on with confidence.
IN THE LABORATORY
Calibrated instruments behind every result
Analysing of wine samples is done with the following calibrated laboratory equipment.
- Alcolyzer and DMA 4500 M laboratory density meter
- Mettler Toledo autotitrator DL22
- Spectrophotometer and Hach turbidity meter
- Refractometer and balances
- 80° C protein oven and 20° C alcohol bath
- Aspiration unit and VA distilled unit
Not a backroom, but a discipline
Although there is nothing wrong with wine lovers cherishing fairy-tale-like images of winemakers doing magical things in cobwebbed cellars to produce outstanding wines, the reality is that, apart from their own magic, winemakers rely on the role that the laboratory plays in the process of winemaking.
Wine Analytical Service Laboratory 