For innovative wine research
On February 22, 2021, Federal Minister Julia Klöckner visited the Rural Area Service Center (DLR) Rhenish Palatinate to hand over the funding decision to initiate pioneering research as part of the Federal Organic Farming and Other Forms of Sustainable Agriculture (BÖLN) programme. The aim of the "Mild innovative Treatment for Wine Stabilization" (MI-WINE for short) project is to develop a gentle alternative for stabilizing wine based on physical processes, which should make the use of previous treatment substances superfluous.
To this end, the University of Bologna in Italy is developing special ceramic membranes to remove grape proteins and metal ions that cause turbidity in wine. The task of the scientists at the Institute of Viticulture & Enology in Neustadt is to accompany the membrane development by means of sensory analyses and to prove the quality-improving use of the innovative technology. The success of the stabilization and other chemical changes in treated wines are being investigated at the University of Warsaw.
In view of growing consumer awareness of additives and treatment substances in food and beverages, this project, which is funded under the EU's Horizon 2020 research framework program, is helping to increase the use of physical methods in winemaking. There is an urgent need for action, particularly for organic winegrowers, as methods for reducing metal ions are not permitted for organic wine in the EU.
If you have any questions about the research project, please contact Prof. Dr. Ulrich Fischer.
Photo credits: BMEL/Mewes