Climate changes, with the progressive global warming, create particularly challenging conditions for oenology in the Mediterranean environment. Industrial gases can be a useful tool in tackling new problems, either as a complement to or as an alternative to traditional temperature management and oxidation protection strategies.
Induced benefits the use of carbon dioxide and nitrogen in the production of rosé wines in the Mediterranean: this is the subject of the Winner of the 2023 edition of the SIAD International Prize, an initiative designed by the industrial group, in collaboration with OICCE (Inter-branch organisation for the communication of knowledge in oenology), an initiative created in order to stimulate innovation in the use of technical gases in oenology.
The proposal presented by a team composed of researchers from the University of Salento, the University of Bari and the Cantina Crifo in Ruvo di Puglia stands out among the many applications received.
“Use of technical gases for the production of rosé wines in the Mediterranean environment“, this is the title of the research comparing the potentials related to the use of CO2 and N2 in the process of film cryomaceration in press in the rosé vinification of Bombino nero.
The research group coordinated by the project leader, Professor Vito Michele Paradiso (University of Salento), and composed of Massimo Tripaldi (Cantina Crifo di Ruvo di Puglia), Biagio Bianchi (University of Bari), Ilaria Prezioso and Ignazio Allegretta (University of Salento), conducted the experiment in the Crifo winery in Ruvo di Puglia.
On the tests carried out, analytical characterizations were carried out on the raw materials, on the musts obtained, on the skins, on the wine in order to allow the evaluation on the operational performance and on the sensory characteristics of what is obtained with the different processes using CO2, N2 and the traditional method used in the winery.
At the end of the evaluation work, we will return to this subject with a summary of the results obtained.
Innovation in oenology and viticulture
Now in its fifth edition, with the opening of the new call for proposals in 2024 (due to expire on 29 February 2024), the SIAD international prize was conceived and promoted by the industrial group and OICCE in order to stimulate research.
By financing projects that are being conceived, put into practice or completed, it aims to help identify innovative solutions for improving the quality of wines and production processes, through the use of technical gases within the whole chain of the viticulture/enological sector.
The initiative is aimed at the international community, in particular university researchers, technicians, students, companies and consortia able to make significant improvements in the applications of CO2, nitrogen, argon and oxygen in the wine sector.
