Statistics and experiments for the winemaker

Basic statistical concepts are essential in conducting sampling, analytical and quality control processes. The most important concept is that of probability; what is the chance that any given observation, even if one made under rigorous conditions, genuinely represents the issue that is being observed, whether that is maturity of a plot of vines or some aspect of hygiene, for example. This section describes and provides simple but fundamental measures of probability that are commonly used to describe observations and measurements: mean, standard deviation, standard error, and confidence limits. It also provides a method for fitting a straight line to a series of observations that is unbiased and provides some simple experimental designs for use in the laboratory, winery or vineyard.