Introducing renewable energy in vineyards and agricultural machinery: A way to reduce emissions and provide sustainability

Climate change, depletion of nonrenewable resources in the current energies, pollution from them and the greater ecological awareness of the population, are factors that suggest the change of energy sources in business. The wine industry is concerned about sustainability and with a clear awareness of what climate change may mean for it. This sector is supposed to have a high receptivity to the implementation of clean energy, as this favours not only the environment but also the essence of its business. This work shows how the use of renewable energy, on a small scale, can be profitable in both vineyards and wineries. For this purpose, the European project LIFE REWIND (Renewable energy in the wine industry) has developed several actions, including the installation and operation of a prototype in a Spanish winery. This paper shows how to introduce renewable energy in wineries and vineyards in a profitable way, reducing the emissions of CO2 associated to the activity and the product, without changing the processes of cultivation or production.

Treatment with different fining agents of white musts from spoiled wine grapes

Fining agents have evolved significantly over the last twenty years. The need for winemakers to have objective references about the new products has prompted this study. The experiment consists in comparing the new fining products (charcoal, pea proteins, derivatives of chitin and composite products generally mixing PVPP + various proteins + bentonite) with reference products such as casein and PVPP and with non-treated controls. Fining agents were applied during clarification of 15 different musts obtained from wine grapes affected by different degrees and types of rot: fresh and dry Botrytis cinerea rot, powdery mildew and Botrytis contaminated with other fungi (Aspergillus, Penicillium, Basidiomycetes), giving the bunches offflavours that were earthy and resembled fresh mushrooms. This study highlights the importance of good clarification of musts. The quality of control wines, without any treatment, increases with the clarity of the must. In most experiments, clarification of the must around 50 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU) can eliminate or reduce any organoleptic defects in wine without fining. Use of pectolytic enzymes may be necessary in order to reach this level of clarity. The new allergen-free fining agents have the same effectiveness as reference products such as casein and polyvinylpolypyrolidone (PVPP). Composite products are more efficient than pea protein alone and less than products including charcoal. However, the improvement of aromatic quality goes hand in hand with loss of body and persistence.

Do weak stationary magnetic fields affect the perceived astringency of red wine?

To investigate claims that products containing weak stationary magnets can reduce the astringency of tannic red wine, a double- blind randomized trial was carried out, in which 96 paired tastings were conducted of magnetized and non-magnetized samples of a young Nebbiolo. The data showed no association between reported differences in astringency and actual difference in the magnetic treatments given to the wine (χ2=0.135, degrees of freedom=1, P=0.71). This study confirms an earlier work that magnets have no observable effect on red wine.

Drying/encapsulation of red wine to produce ingredients for healthy foods

Epidemiological evidence indicates that moderate consumption of red wine reduces the incidence of coronary disease, atherosclerosis, and platelet aggregation. Wine is very rich in antioxidant compounds because of their phenolic components. However, many people for ethnic, social or religious reasons do not consume wine. Drying/encapsulation of red wine in the presence of adequate carbohydrates leads to water and more than 99% of alcohol removal; a glassy amorphous microstructure is obtained in which the wine’s phenolic compounds are entrapped. The resulting product is a free flowing powder which could be used for the polyphenol enrichment of healthy foods and/or drink powders, as well as in the pharmaceutical industry. The wine industry may take advantage of the dried/encapsulated red wine using as a raw material red wines which have little commercial value for different reasons; i.e. poor quality due to raw material, unfavourable climatic conditions, or wines that suffered some alteration during the wine making process. Dry encapsulated wine may be a new alternative to red wines that cannot be sold as such for different reasons, and open new opportunities to diversify wine products.

Antioxidant activity and storage regime of defatted grape seeds flour

In the present paper, we examined the antioxidant activity of a defatted grape seeds flour of different grape varieties locally grown in Bulgaria. The seeds are retrieved after alcoholic fermentation and the antioxidant activity of the flour was assessed by using four different methods, namely DPPH, ABTS, FRAP and CUPRAC. The results are presented in mM TE/g extract. The values are 586,08 (±41,55); 945,41 (±90,97); 553,39 (±45,57) and 667,73 (±64,30), respectively. The results are also showed in mM TE/g flour. The values are 58,67 (±4,16); 94,64 (±9,11); 55,40 (±4,56) and 66,85 (±6,44), respectively. During three-month storage of the flour in plastic bags (temperature 25 ºC and relative humidity 75%), no living cells of pathogenic organisms (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella spp.) or apparent molding were detected. The flour particle size has not changed either.

Advances in post-fermented wine clarification by centrifugal technology

Wine clarification processes are deeply determined by complex interaction of wine constituents and application of available technologies as well as use of fining agents. Among others, centrifuge is a consolidated technique applied for many separation duties in the winery. Important advances on improvement of the performance of centrifugal technology have beeen focused on gentle wine treatment, minimal dissolved oxygen and significant reduction of energy consumption helping to dispel old beliefs on a technique considered to be traditional. This paper reviews the development of technology and recent advances on centrifuge improvement and aims to show, through field experimental observation, the importance of removing a portion of particles responsible of haze in the light of very low level of dissolved oxygen and complementarity of alternative recent techniques of wine filtration like cross-flow microfiltration.

Effects of malolactic fermentation on colour stability and phenolic composition of Petit Verdot red wines

In the present work we evaluate the effects of malolactic fermentation (MLF) on the colour parameters and polyphenolic composition of Petit Verdot red wines. MLF caused a significant decrease in colour intensity in wines, approximately 9%. In line with that, the results showed a decrease in the concentration of anthocyanins (acylated and non-acylated), but an increase of the pyranothocyannins concentration. MLF did not produce important variations on the content of hydroxycinnamic acids derivatives, stilbenes and flavonols. Regarding flavan-3-ols, MLF caused a decrease in monomers, total flavan-3-ols and percentage of galloylation, and an increase on the percentage of prodelphinidins. However, no effect over mean degree of polymerisation was observed. Thus, it is unlikely that these changes may affect the acceptability of wines by consumers.

Together is better. Experience of simultaneous fermentation of yeast and bacteria as a possible strategy to prevent stuck fermentation in difficult wines

In the field of winemaking, malolactic fermentation is a key aspect in obtaining high quality wines. Unfortunately, in some oenological contexts effective evolution does not take place because of the occurrence of certain limiting factors for malolactic bacteria in wine. Simultaneous alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in grape must is a promising alternative that promotes the survival of bacteria, due to the absence of certain limiting factors such as ethanol or other toxic substances produced by yeasts in the native grape must. The risk of wine depreciation due to the spoilage activity of malolactic bacteria can be reduced by using selected strains of <em>Oenococcus oeni</em>, with proven behaviour in terms of malolactic fermentation occurring in the presence of sugars. In this work we compared the activity of a strain of <em>Oenococcus oeni</em> in malolactic fermentation of a Chardonnay grape must, using different winemaking protocols characterised by sequential or simultaneous inoculums of microbial starters. The results are discussed both in terms of fermentative behaviour and the quality of the wines obtained, with careful analysis of the main chemical parameters of the wines and of 47 different volatile compounds, giving an exhaustive overview of the opportunities and the risks related to different wine fermentation strategies.

Does gently clearing the nasal passage affect odor identification?

Identifying scents in a wine’s bouquet is considered one of the most important steps in the process of wine tasting. An individual’s ability to successfully do this is dependent on the sense of smell; thus, altering the nasal microenvironment could have a powerful effect on the wine tasting experience. In the present study, we examined olfactory performance in healthy participants who cleared their nasal cavity before odorant presentations. Fifty undergraduate participants were assessed with a standardized test of olfaction requiring the recognition of a battery of odors. Half of these participants cleared mucus from their nasal cavities (by gently blowing their noses) prior to the assessment. No difference was found in performance between those who cleared their nasal passages and those who did not. Further, data were not different than known population data from the test. These data suggest that gently clearing the nasal cavity before presentation of odorants bears no effect on the ability to perceive those odor qualities.

Changes in the fecal profile of inflammatory markers after moderate consumption of red wine: a human trial study

The aim of this work was to evaluate the potential of moderate consumption of red wine to modulate the intestinal inflammation response on healthy humans. Fecal samples from a human intervention study (n=34) were collected before and after consumption of red wine for 4 weeks, and 24 immune markers including immunoglobulins, cytokines, chemokines and growth factors, were analysed. When considering the whole group of case volunteers, almost no statistically significant differences were found in the immune markers after wine consumption. However, a detailed exploration of the values differentiated a 6-volunteer subgroup that showed unusually high values of cytokines before wine consumption. For this subgroup, wine consumption significantly reduced the content of 16 out of 24 markers down to usual values, especially noticeable for cytokines related to the promotion of initial inflammation (tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin 6 and interferon-gamma). This study reveals, for the first time, changes in the fecal profile of inflammatory markers after moderate consumption of red wine.