Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12G—WINE; PREPARATION THEREOF; ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; PREPARATION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES NOT PROVIDED FOR IN SUBCLASSES C12C OR C12H
  • C12G1/00—Preparation of wine or sparkling wine
  • C12G1/02—Preparation of must from grapes; Must treatment and fermentation
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12G—WINE; PREPARATION THEREOF; ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; PREPARATION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES NOT PROVIDED FOR IN SUBCLASSES C12C OR C12H
  • C12G1/00—Preparation of wine or sparkling wine
  • C12G1/005—Methods or means to load or unload, to weigh or to sample the vintage; Replenishing; Separation of the liquids from the solids before or after fermentation

Definitions

• disinfection is an extremely important procedure.
• chlorine or other chemical compounds are generally used such as, in the case of grapes and wine, sulphur dioxide, which in addition to eliminating the overall microbial load present in the product, can also to cause quality alterations and allergic effects in some consumers.
• Sulphitation is also a frequent practice in the biological field as it performs the function of oxidation control and microbial development control, and enables must acidification.
• These important advantages are accompanied by a large number of significant disadvantages: hydrogen sulphide formation and hence bad odour; wine ripening delay due to malolactic fermentation; toxicity in man (mutagenic and allergic effect) in the form of bronchospasms, irritations etc.
• Another not inconsiderable problem is that the sulphite ion easily binds to sugars and to ketonic acids in which the grape must and then the wine are rich, so that the sanitizing effect decreases.
• the sulphites are always added in excess to ensure that a free sulphurous and hence sanitizing quantity is available. If from a wine making viewpoint the free availability is the more important, for the consumer it is the total quantity (combined+free) which counts, this generally being up to 5 times more, depending on the wine.
• the first sulphite addition takes place immediately on arrival of the grapes in the hopper or with the arrival of the pressed product, to a quantity of about 10 g per 100 kg of grapes.
• the total sulphite and free SO 2 levels are checked to verify that these are at least 40 mg/l of total sulphites and 14 mg/l of free SO 2 : if the level is less, further sulphites are added to reach the required level by adding potassium metabisulphite, knowing that 1 g of metabisulphite per 100 litres produces about 2 mg of free SO 2 and about 5 mg of total sulphites per litre.
• the concentrations are even higher for white wines and even more for sweet wines.
• the stated levels are those used in Italy, whereas in countries such as Germany and Austria the total sulphite levels can even reach 120 mg/l because of the greater susceptibility to acetic grape fermentation due to field inoculation in relation to climatic conditions, and because of a higher residual sugar quantity than that of so-called dry wines.
• the document CN101438733 describes the sterilization of red table grapes by washing them for 10-15 minutes with water mixed with ozone (10-12 ppm of ozone). Hence an alternative sterilization is described for a product for immediate consumption having organoleptic characteristics different from wine-making grapes. No suggestion is given as to how such a process can also be used for a lengthy complex procedure such as grape wine making.
• ozone a further positive characteristic of ozone is represented by the high instability of the molecule used in the form of ozone (O3), which rapidly degrades to reform oxygen (O2) without leaving residues which are harmful or which can negatively alter the wine quality.
• This characteristic is considered positive within the framework of also using ozone sterilization in a long-duration process such as wine making and in wine-making processes of biological type.
• the Applicant has further realized that if the grapes and all the materials used in wine production were treated with ozone it would no longer be necessary to add sulphites to prevent wine contamination.
• An object of the present invention is to provide a process for grape treatment and wine making which enables the grapes to be sanitized and their microbial load to be eliminated such as to enable a considerable reduction in the use of sulphitation.
• Another object is to provide a process which produces a stress effect of induced oxidative nature on the grapes, such as to act as a stimulus for the synthesis/accumulation of substances (secondary metabolites) recoverable in the grapes and in the final product (wine), and considered as of nutritious power for the health of the consumer and having a quality value for the wine.
• a further object is to provide a process which produces a stabilization effect on the final product (wine), enabling the addition of sulphites to be avoided on termination of the wine making process.
• Another important object is to reduce the environmental impact of the process in view of the low energy consumption in producing ozone, the reduction in water consumption and its recycling, the lesser CO 2 emission compared with the production of sulphites and detergents synthesized industrially, and the complete absence of residual contaminants.
• a grape treatment and wine making process characterised by the steps of: cleaning a first container by means of a fluid mixed with ozone; placing the grapes in said first container in closed vats and/or buildings at controlled temperature; diffusing a fluid mixed with ozone within said vats and/or buildings at controlled temperature; cleaning said grapes placed in said first container by means of a fluid mixed with ozone; cleaning a press by means of a fluid mixed with ozone; pressing said grapes with said press to produce must; cleaning a second container by means of a fluid mixed with ozone; placing said must in said second container to produce fermented must; cleaning a third container by means of a fluid mixed with ozone; placing said fermented must in said third container.
• Those grapes which have undergone treatment in accordance with the present invention presented the advantage of eliminating the microbial load originally present on the berry surface to a level such as not only not to prejudice the quality and health of the wine, but indeed to improve its health by eliminating pathogenic fungi able to produce ochratoxins.
• the treatment also results in reduction in indigenous yeast levels normally located on the grape skin. This means that the sulphitation procedures used in traditional wine making processes to control the triggering of spontaneous formation can be avoided.
• a further surprisingly innovative advantage obtained by the described process is given by the stimulation and/or accumulation of value added substances advantageous for the properties of the grapes and of the wine produced by them together with facilitating their extraction from the grapes, in particular polyphenols the most important of which are flavonols, flavanols, stilbenes and phenolic acids (gallic acid). It has in effect been found that the grapes react to the stress of the ozone treatment by increasing the concentration of these substances, and that these substances are transferred by the grapes (berries) to the wine with greater ease, so increasing their concentration.
• a high and significantly higher polyphenol and anthocyanin extraction in red wines is obtained due to a combination of mechanisms: exposing the grapes to ozone at the correct concentration and for the correct times stimulates the production of these compounds in the grapes before pressing, and determines skin permeability, resulting in greater extractability. Treatment at the correct concentration for the correct duration also favours synthesis and extractability of aromatic compounds.
• the antiseptic effect of ozone makes it possible not to add sulphites during wine making because bacteria, yeasts and mould are eliminated on the starting grapes, and all the equipment used is sterilized.
• a wine can be produced without sulphites which is treated with ozone to achieve greater polyphenol and anthocyanin extraction, then adding sulphites before bottling to ensure its long term stability, the product obtained being in any event different from that produced by adding sulphites onto the grapes before pressing.
• the pre-harvesting residues present on the grapes are eliminated as the ozone oxidizes them.
• Pesticides and herbicides are substances sensitive to oxidation and treatment with ozone, which is a super-oxidant and neutralizes their active principle.
• the water used for washing can be discharged without problems as it is not contaminated chemically but possibly only biologically, and if this latter is the case it can be treated with ozone to hence make it reusable for irrigation or for some other profitable use.
• the process provides for wine making in a suitable room previously washed with ozonized water and/or fumigated with ozone in gaseous form, using equipment disinfected by treatment with ozone in air and/or in water. This is also the case if wooden containers are used, which although having the advantage of a certain permeability and the transfer of pleasant flavours, have the problem of easy contamination, for example by Brettanomyces , which is difficult to resolve with normal water treatment.
• the process comprises the production of ozonized water by a specific generator provided with a computerized system, able to continuously blow ozone into the aqueous medium and to ensure the control and stabilization of all the required parameters (ozone concentration, water temperature, ozonized water volume).
• the purpose of washing the grapes in ozonized water is to ensure an initial removal or decrease of microflora, with particular attention to Botrytis cinerea and other pathogenic fungi which can produce ochratoxin, but also to bacteria which can alter the wine (acetic and lactic bacteria).
• normal wash procedures have shown an insignificant reduction in Botrytis cinerea compared with grapes stored without any water intervention.
• the grapes even if not subjected to the wash process, are located in one or more layers in perforated plastic boxes of the type used for wilting/dehydration procedures within confined environments, such as hermetically sealed buildings.
• the boxes can have dimensions and consequent product loading capacities which are variable (from 3-5 to 8-10 kg) and can be handled on pallets. This characteristic enables piles of boxes to be organized containing grapes in a form such as to be able to utilize in the most suitable manner the internal spaces of the dedicated rooms and the effective movement of the internal air with the purpose of making the gaseous ozone treatment uniform and efficient.
• This treatment takes place by the controlled infeed of the ozone produced by the generator, which is able to ensure continuous control of quantities (concentrations) and grape exposure times within the aforesaid controlled rooms, in which the relative temperature and humidity conditions for the grapes are suitably monitored and controlled.
• Suitably arranged ventilation systems are provided for correct movement of the internal air and to favour effective diffusion of the gaseous ozone which strikes the grape bunches and hence the grape berries by also passing through the perforated structure of the boxes. Effective reaching of the entire surface of the grape berries is also facilitated by preferably locating the grape bunches in a single layer on the box floor.
• the rooms used for storage and for the treatment operations are previously adequately sanitized by washing with ozonized water and/or by infeeding gas at higher concentrations than those scheduled for the product treatments.
• the ozone necessary for the process is produced in known manner, for example by the corona discharge method which enables air to be obtained with ozone concentrations up to about 6% by weight.
• An ozone production unit using the corona effect consists of the following parts: an oxygen source, anti-dust filters, gas driers, ozone generators, contact and catalytic destruction unit.
• an oxygen source for ozone production, atmospheric air (provided by a compressor) or air enriched with pure oxygen can be used.
• the quantity of ozone-containing air depends on the grape quantity. For example for 2.8 metric tons of grapes, stored in boxes containing grapes in a single layer and located in a closed building, a sterilization process was carried out lasting 12 hours. In the first 4 hours 40 g/hour of ozone were blown in, with 1 g/hour of ozone blown in during the next 8 hours, for a total of 168 g of ozone, equivalent to about 60 g for each metric ton of grapes.
• a manganese dioxide converter is located to convert the remaining ozone into oxygen.
• the treatment duration can be chosen according to the particular case. For example, if the ozone production is low, the duration can be longer. In any event, the concentration must be initially very high to quickly saturate the building and to accelerate initial sterilization of even the minimum product contamination. When the environment is saturated, the procedure switches to maintaining the ozone quantity present in the building.
• the water is prepared by enriching it with ozone to reach a concentration of 6-8 mg of ozone per litre of water at 15° C.
• the water droplets remain partially on the grape berries to prolong the time of the sterilization process.
• a wash of about one hour is carried out with an ozone concentration of about 6-8 mg per litre of water.
• the grapes are poured into the stalk stripper previously washed with ozonized water and/or fumigated with gaseous ozone, its exit pipe leading directly to the press, also previously washed with ozonized water and/or fumigated with gaseous ozone.
• the wine produced is poured into containers (bottles) previously washed with ozonized water and/or fumigated with gaseous ozone.
• the ozone treatment conducted on the grapes has provided important results with regard to the phenolic fraction as can be seen in Table 1.
• other phenolic fractions such as gallic acid, catechins and epicatechins have demonstrated significantly high increments as can be seen from Table 2. This signifies a strong activation of the antioxidant phenolic fractions which play an important role from the enological (stabilization) and health viewpoint.
• Table 3 below show the values of chemical analyses of enological interest conducted on 33 different wine batches, of which No. 15 corresponds to the batch in which ozone was used on the grapes and for washing the wine making equipment, and in which sulphites were not used in the wine making. It can be seen that the wine, originating from wilted grapes and treated with ozone for one week, has about 15° alcohol with a residual sugar level of 1.30 g/l, the lowest value of all samples, indicating that fermentation has taken place very regularly. This could be attributed to the greater ease with which the yeasts have acted, not finding competitors.
• polyphenolic fraction anthocyanins, total polyphenols, tannins
• polyphenols and anthocyanins can be noted from Table 4, which relates to bottled wines of two years ageing with the grapes and all the used equipment cleaned with ozone in accordance with the aforestated quantities.
• Table 4 relates to bottled wines of two years ageing with the grapes and all the used equipment cleaned with ozone in accordance with the aforestated quantities.
• a wine can be noted containing polyphenols and anthocyanins in a greater percentage than that of a wine produced by the traditional process, and in particular polyphenols 30% greater and anthocyanins 60% greater.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Genetics & Genomics (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Biochemistry (AREA)
• Bioinformatics & Cheminformatics (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
• Zoology (AREA)
• Apparatus For Disinfection Or Sterilisation (AREA)
• Distillation Of Fermentation Liquor, Processing Of Alcohols, Vinegar And Beer (AREA)
• Food Preservation Except Freezing, Refrigeration, And Drying (AREA)
• Preparation Of Fruits And Vegetables (AREA)
• Medicines Containing Plant Substances (AREA)

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