Enologix

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Enologix, is a Sonoma, California based company that offers wine quality metrics and standards, management systems and consulting to client California wineries. Enologix is using algorithms to predict the wines ranked highly by consumer critics such as Robert Parker.[1] It claims that the quality of wine can be measured chemically, and a score assessed, much like a wine critic.[2] Clients include wineries such as Beaulieu, Diamond Creek, and Ridge Vineyards. Enologix's metrics have been correlated with market performance metrics, including 100-points critics' scores.[3]

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[edit] History

The company was founded in 1993 by former winemaker Dr. Leo McCloskey and Dr Susanne Arrhenius, both University of California trained chemical ecologists; along with the help of Dr. Marshall Sylvan, Stanford University trained mathematician.

[edit] Methods and innovations

Enologix methodology uses computers and mathematics to compute taste quality from statistical correlations between chemistry and winemakers' tasting scores. DowJones', Market Watch, used Enologix to exemplify innovation by "Quants" for the Food/beverage sector. [4] Enologix methods are based on a "reverse-engineering" approach to winemaking that begins with market metrics and then linking them to a chemical breakdown of some of the flavor components of wine-including anthocyanins, norisoprenoids, phenols, tannins and terpenes-and analyzing a client's wine and possibly comparing it with a "target" wine from the companies' database which include profiles of First Growth Bordeaux wine and other high scoring bottles. Throughout the growing season, Enologix would test and track the developing components of the grapes and can use calculation to try and better gauge the optimal ripeness of the grapes to set an ideal time for harvesting.[2]

By late 2005, McCloskey said that company had a database of more than 50,000 wines.[5] Enologix has created the first wine informatics; which includes the science of information, the practice of information processing, and the engineering of information systems. [6] Enologix benchmarks vineyard and winery samples to the customers competitive set of bottled wines for sale. In 2007 Enologix made the first Classification of Napa Valley American Viticultural Areas-to TASTE³ which brings together more than forty of the most compelling writers, thinkers, chefs, winemakers, journalists, artisans, and executives as speakers. [7]

Enologix claims that by using their methodology that winemakers can predict with 95% accuracy the average critical scores within two and a half points and that with 80% accuracy they could predict the score within one and a half points. In addition, the consultation and testing that happens during the growing seasons and winemaking period can provide feedback that can help a client potentially see a 5 point increase their score over their previous years' average scores for red wines and 6 points for white wine.[3]

[edit] Awards and recognition

  • voted Best 2006 Ideas by Business Week[8]

[edit] Criticisms

Enologix's public face, Dr. Leo McCloskey, is a somewhat divisive figure in the wine industry, alternately lauded by media and dismissed by competing academics for his unpublished—"Black Box Mathematics"—scientific methodologies and strict categorization of wine styles made with the intent of predicting market performance. Wine writers discredit McCloskey for pleasing consumer critics. [9]. Some critics, such as Roger Boulton at UC-Davis, also question the methods Enologix uses and whether they actually work due to the fact that Enologix has not publicly released their data and exact details of measurements. Enologix has replied to such criticism by noting that their methods are proprietary and essentially trade secrets.[2] Another criticism leveled at Enologix is that it encourages an homogenisation of wine that matches more a wine score than reflecting the terroir of where it was made. McClosky, of Enologix, has replied to this criticism by noting the scores aid the wine drinking consumer in knowing whether or not a bottle of wine is worth the price that they are paying for.[3]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Best of 2006 Math Has Your Number. Business Week Dec. 2006
  2. ^ a b c W. Neuman The Grapes of Math Wired News Nov. 2001
  3. ^ a b c David Darlington, The Chemistry of a 90+ Wine, New York Times, August 7, 2005
  4. '^ Paul T. Farrel, [1], The Singularity' is already here! Merging behavioral finance, "rockin' math," technology ... and profits, May 1, 2007
  5. ^ Chris Ayres, Hang bouquet, check the data, The Times (UK), August 20, 2005
  6. ^ Thomas Kellner. Digital Dionysus, Forbes, February 8, 2004.
  7. ^ Leo McCloskey, Classification of Napa Valley, TASTE³, May 7, 2007
  8. ^ Best of 2006 Math Has Your Number. Business Week Dec. 2006
  9. ^ Appellation America,"Leo McCloskey is Against Wines Scores... but for a fee will tell you how to obtain high ones"

[edit] See also

[edit] External links