The high quality of the grapes used by Bodegas Roda for the vinifications enable the extended post-fermentation macerations which characterize our winery. This fact, however, has caused us to wonder as to how long exactly we should macerate. The project thus came about through Iberico-American co-operation (Uruguay and Spain), providing the wine-maker with the necessary tools to determine the optimum moment to run the wine off the skins in the vinification of quality red wines. We do not wish however to ignore the microbiological processes throughout the ageing period. For the purposes of this project, a suitable methodology was developed for the early detection of pathogenous micro-organisms which would prevent organoleptic alterations in the wine.