Making wine is a complex endeavor—it depends on grape composition, microbes like yeast, and environmental conditions such as temperatures, rainfall amounts and soil quality where grapevines are growing. Traditionally, researchers conduct pilot-scale fermentations of about 5 gallons to evaluate things like grape quality or yeast behavior, but they take time and money. However, a new study by a team of researchers led by Penn State food scientists has shown that a quicker, cheaper option called microvinification—fermentations of 50 milliliters, about a quarter cup—is reliable and convenient for studying wine chemistry.