Wine-Making Process Using Inert Atmosphere for Pomace Preservation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional red wine vinification processes cannot benefit from early settling before alcoholic fermentation, leading to suboptimal aroma and taste quality due to the loss of pomace properties during separation, while white wines can, but red wines cannot maintain the advantages of marc contact during fermentation.
Innovation Solution
A vinification process involving destemming, pressing, separating must and marc, reserving marc under an inert atmosphere, settling the must separately, recombining marc and must, and incorporating a step for aging on lees, with optional sulphiting and enzyme inoculation, to preserve pomace properties and enhance fermentation quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If pomace is removed and must is settled separately before fermentation, then aroma and taste quality is improved, but pomace properties are lost due to oxidation during separation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies an inert atmosphere (nitrogen or carbon dioxide) to protect the pomace from oxidation during the separation and settling process. The inert gas displaces oxygen in the headspace of the fermentation vessel, preventing oxidative degradation of the pomace while allowing the must to settle and be recombined with the pomace for enhanced aroma and taste quality.
2Manufacturing precision
If pomace is retained during settling, then aromatic compound extraction is optimized, but settling cannot be performed due to pomace presence
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the winemaking process into distinct phases: first, the must is settled separately from the pomace to achieve clarification; second, the inert atmosphere is applied to preserve pomace properties; third, the settled must is recombined with the protected pomace. This segmentation allows both settling and pomace retention to be achieved at different stages, optimizing both clarification and aromatic extraction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary settling of the must before recombination with the pomace. By settling the must first while the pomace is protected in an inert atmosphere, the process eliminates the contradiction of having pomace present during settling. The preliminary action of settling prepares the must for subsequent recombination with the preserved pomace, enabling optimal aromatic compound extraction during fermentation.
3Reliability
If pomace is protected from oxidation, then pomace properties are preserved for fermentation, but additional equipment and process steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the existing headspace in standard fermentation vessels for applying the inert atmosphere, without requiring separate dedicated equipment. The inert gas system serves multiple functions: it protects the pomace from oxidation, maintains an anaerobic environment beneficial for fermentation, and can be integrated with existing winemaking infrastructure. This multi-functionality reduces the additional complexity while achieving reliable pomace preservation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This process allows for improved aroma and taste quality in red wines by maintaining pomace properties and preventing oxidation, enabling early settling and reassociation without degradation, and introduces aging on lees for enhanced stability and richness, similar to white wines.
Implementation Method 1
reserving marc under an inert atmosphere
Implementation Method 2
seeding with clarifying enzymes
Implementation Method 3
The components of the sediment hydrolyze into smaller, more soluble elements
Implementation Method 4
recombining the pomace and the settled must in a single container
Data Source
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AI summary
Wine-making process comprising, in the following order: 1) a step of collecting harvested grapes, 2) a step of stripping, 3) a step of pressing, 4) a step of separation of must and pomace, 5) a step of reserving the pomace under inert atmosphere in a first container (C1), 6) a step of clarifying the must in a second container (C2), 7) a step of recombining the pomace and the clarified must in a single container, 8) a step of fermentation.