Wine Analysis in the Cellar: Chapin Family Vineyards’ Experience with CDR WineLab®

CDR WineLab® is a wine analysis system designed for the rapid monitoring of key chemical parameters in wine directly in the winery.

In this testimonial, Kristine Overlaur, who has been a winemaker at Chapin Family Vineyards for 11 years, explains how the instrument has been integrated into the analytical routine of the California boutique winery to achieve faster results during winemaking.

In the video, Kristine Overlaur describes CDR WineLab® in the context of a specific need at the Chapin Family Vineyards laboratory: obtaining analytical results quickly, without interrupting the flow of winery operations.

“Normally, to perform a volatile acidity test in the lab using the traditional method, it took 20 minutes to get a result. Now, with CDR WineLab®, I can get the same result in just six minutes. This saves me time and the company money.”
— Kristine Overlaur, winemaker, Chapin Family Vineyards

The example of volatile acidity is the most concrete part of the story: the comparison between the traditional wet lab method and CDR WineLab® makes the impact on the lab’s daily work measurable.

“CDR WineLab® fulfills a great need I have for immediate results in the lab.”
— Kristine Overlaur, winemaker, Chapin Family Vineyards

From this perspective, the tool supports analyses that require data available in a timeframe compatible with operational decisions.

Located in the renowned Temecula Valley wine region, Chapin Family Vineyards is a family-owned boutique winery founded by Steve Chapin. Since 2012, the winery has used exclusively grapes grown on its own estate for production. With an annual output of approximately 3,000 cases, the winery focuses its artisanal work on a clear goal: to constantly improve its wines by paying close attention to every detail of the production process.

During winemaking, especially during harvest, certain strategic decisions must be made while the wine is still evolving. Monitoring acidity levels, the progress of fermentation, sulfur dioxide levels, and other chemical parameters allows the winemaker to intervene before a minor anomaly becomes a serious quality issue. Often, however, traditional analytical methods can take longer than is compatible with the speed of decision-making in the winery. Having access to analytical data with responsiveness and precision is a fundamental requirement for operating effectively and avoiding disruptions to the production flow. Reducing this bottleneck allows the winery to intervene more promptly and base decisions on data available exactly when it is needed.

To meet the need for timely analysis, CDR WineLab® has enabled Chapin Family Vineyards to conduct tests directly on the production floor with complete autonomy. The system has reduced operational bottlenecks, offering tangible benefits to the winery’s daily operations:

What stands out most in Kristine’s account is the value of having data available when it’s needed: not merely as a final check, but as an active aid to decision-making throughout the entire process.

The video specifically highlights the analyses she needs most during her operations:

• Free and total Sulphur Dioxide (SO₂) and Volatile Acidity: monitored on a monthly basis to ensure the proper development and preservation of the wines over time.
• Yeast Assimilable Nitrogen (YAN) and Total Acidity: particularly useful during harvest, when data is needed quickly.
• Alcohol Content: easily quantifiable without the need to purchase additional equipment.

Another valuable point that emerged from the testimonial concerns the support provided by Gusmer Enterprises, the U.S. distributor for CDR WineLab®.

Kristine emphasizes that the technical support has been “top-notch,” with quick responses, direct contact options, and efficient service —even for managing orders of the reagents needed for analysis.

In the context of a small winery, technical support is not merely an after-sales service but a key factor in operational continuity. The availability of qualified support and reagents allows the in-house laboratory to keep routine analyses running without prolonged interruptions.

The experience of Chapin Family Vineyards demonstrates how in-cellar analysis can be effectively integrated into a winemaker’s daily routine, especially when results need to be available in a timeframe that allows for timely operational decisions. In Kristine Overlaur’s account, CDR WineLab® emerges as a tool that supports daily work in monitoring winemaking in the winery: not only to speed up certain analyses, but to make analytical data more accessible when it is needed.