EUREKA PROJECT > 1947 CASK
SPAIN
CONTROL AND IMPROVEMENT OF VINTAGE WINE BASED ON AN INNOVATIVE SYSTEM OF BARREL STORAGE AND HANDLING.
DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW AGEING PROCESS OPTIMIZING THE USE OF BARRELS, THE CONTRIBUTION OF WOOD TO THE WINE AND TOTAL PROCESS CONTROL, USING AN INNOVATING SYSTEM OF BARREL STORAGE AND HANDLING.
Project Description
The great number of barrels needed for vintage wine within the traditional system requires storage in piles (up to five piles) as is the case with the Spanish company CVNE. This system, when undertaking handling activities in the vintage process requires large surfaces, a great deal of manpower and involves heavy and dangerous transportation due to the need to stack and unstack the piles of barrels. In addition, it is impossible to access a specific barrel in the pile without first unstacking the top barrels. To date, this has considerably limited control and analysis and consequently hampered improvements to the ageing process, due to the lack of large scale follow-up concerning the influence of the maturing process of some features such as the type of wood, wood drying and curing, barrel size and shape, the evolution of the antioxidation rate, the hygienic state of barrels, etc. This project puts the emphasis on the development and implantation of a new barrel storage system and will simultaneously also involve a new design and barrel manufacturing process control. This project will be carried out by a Spanish wine producer, CVNE and a barrel manufacturer, leader in the French market. The following technological objectives are targeted: * development of a barrel manufacturing process in which the quality parameters needed to produce vintage wine will be defined. * Optimization of CVNE's barrel geometry in order to improve the efficiency of oak exploitation (especially French oak which is more expensive), to obtain optimum maturing results using less wood. * Improvement to ageing process control, thanks to optimum accessibility to each of the barrels, in order to carry out a complete follow-up of the wine's hygienic state, its aromatic quality and oxidation level. Keywords: wine, maturing-ageing, barrel-cask.
Technological Development Envisaged
1. Definition and control of parameters required to ensure the barrel's quality standard, destined for wine maturing processes. a) The quality of the wood prepared for barrelmaking will be used as a guide to indicate the specific tasks and be controlled by: * inspection of the wood, sites and transformation methods (drying and curing) Concerning the wood control, for 3000 barrels per year, it will be necessary to control 30 lorryloads of wood, i.e. 30 lots of wood. Working hypothesis: 30 lots of wood, 3 analyses per year during the first year, 1 analysis per year in following years. In-situ control equipment will allow the curing control for each of the manufactured barrels, based on the use of small sensors (electronic nose). The barrel manufacturing process will be carried out in CVNE and supported by the technical assistance from a French laboratory and its staff. This laboratory will be subcontracted by CVNE. b) Optimization study of barrel geometry and wood sawing, aimed at improving the efficient exploitation potential of European oak and optimizing the wood contribution to wine. Rioja wine legislation stipulates the use of 225 litre barrels, although tests with several dozen 300 litre barrels (33% higher capacity) are allowed. Subsequently, a comparison of the results through observations of the influence of the ratio of wine volume/wood surface will be undertaken over time. c) The barrel sealing top will be specifically studied, in order to guarantee easy and hermetic closure and suitable adaptation of the decanting and cleaning tools. 2. Optimization of the maturing conditions in stored barrels according to the new storage system (shelves). The project envisages the use of a barrel innovating storage system in height, based on shelf-type supports which will allow individual access to each barrel; moving the wine through gravity without pumping; optimising the work in each of the barrels which it will not be necessary to move, and maximum mechanization of barrel handling, thereby improving working conditions. As far as improvements to the storage method are concerned, thought needs to be given to the characteristics of: * the working method on lees (in the case of white wines and some red wines) through the use of special equipment to avoid wine yeast sedimentation within the barrels. * the barrel handling method can use gravity, inert gas or a non-damaging pumping system for the wine. * in-situ barrel cleaning and disinfection methods * barrel handling, by means of suitable translifts, which meet safety and health standards in the workplace. 3. Control of wine maturing evolution The modification of storage and working methods of wine in barrels will facilitate the starting point, thanks to an experimental study under real conditions on wine evolution follow-up. This follow up will make it possible to control: * the hygienic quality evolution of wines and barrels and their degree of contamination by undesirable microbic germs (yeast contamination such as that caused by Brettanomyces, acetic bacteria, Acetobater, oxidant yeast Schizosaccharomyces, Saccharomycodes, etc.) by measuring specific metabolytes. - Working hypothesis: 3000 barrels, 10 lots of 300 barrels, monthly control, analysis of a representative sample of each one (32 barrels per lot). Analysis to be conducted: acetic acid, sulphur dioxide, ethyl-4-phenol, ethyl-4-gauacol, ethyl acetate. * The evolution of wine aromatic quality * The evolution of the wine oxidation level and its capacity for bearing the oxidation impacts (dissolved oxygen according to the handling method, antioxidant potential, global TAS). - Working hypothesis: 10 lots of 300 barrels, quarterly control, 32 barrels per lot. Analysis of dissolved oxygen, total antioxidants, etc. These studies will make it possible to validate or modify the working conditions of wine in barrels, as well as barrel cleaning and disinfection methods.
Contribution to project
Ageing process: study and improvement. Application of modern technologies of evolution control within this process. Analysis of the influence of barrel making parameters and assessment of new barrel storage on shelves.
Expertise
One of the main wine producers in the Spanish region of La Roija (controlled origin area), characterised by the production of high quality wines. It produces 5,000,000 litres annually and its annual turnover is over 20 MECU. It has an export rate of over 15%.
Main contactSEGUIN MOREAU S.A.
MR. L. LEBRUN > MANAGING DIRECTOR Organisation type > SME |
Contribution to project
New barrel design in order to optimize the use of oak, to obtain optimum maturing results with reduced wood use. Study and control of all the barrel manufacturing parameters.
Expertise
This French company is one of the main barrel producers worldwide. It manufactures between 20,000 and 30,000 barrels/year for the main wine producers and has an annual turnover of about 10 MECU. It has a branch in the USA due to the importance of the American market. SEGUIN MOREAU is specially interested in having a manufacturing installation in SPAIN, which might be set up within CVNE's facilities.