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A Technical Guide for Wine Producers
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RECENT ARTICLES | WYNBOER HOME
SITEVI 2003 in Montpellier
Introduction
SITEVI 2003, the exhibition for Vine Growing, Wine making, Packaging and Fruit and Vegetable farming took place from Tuesday 25 to Thursday 27 November 2003 at the Montpellier Exhibition Centre, France. Every second year the exhibition brings together players from the vine and wine, fruit and vegetable sectors. A major business-to-business event, SITEVI is also recognised as a world launch pad for innovations. It is also a crucial information forum with a packed programme of high level talks.
This large gathering of grape growers, winemakers and fruit and vegetable growers was a showcase for some 900 exhibitors (20% international companies) and covered more than 38 000m2 .
Apart from the exhibition, a series of seminars provided the opportunity for all participants to exchange views with leading viticulturists, wine experts and scientists. The following are some of the topics that were discussed:
The Innovation Awards are an international benchmark. This competition is an excellent showcase for the most recent advances, which are a reflection of the dynamism and creativity of the sector as a whole.
The judges selected 26 items of equipment, products and services (4 gold medals, 8 silver medals, 14 commendations) in 5 major sectors: vine-growing, wine-making technology, packaging and marketing, fruit and vegetable growing, computerised control systems and training programmes.
This range of innovations mirrors the main developmental trends in the sectors concerned:
Vine-growing
Machinery performance remains a strong area. For harvesting machines it is speed of operation, for leaf strippers it is improved cutting precision and combining the operations of leaf-stripping, trimming and weed control.
Precision vine-growing is taking a new step forward with the first machine vision trimmer and new eco-friendly systems for the application of fertilisers, pesticides and weed-killers.
Ease of operating machinery is often combined with an improvement in production quality and in safety or maintenance. This is the case of in-row hoeing, tractor equipment and multipurpose carriers.
Winemaking technology and marketing
Following recent advances in the fields of equipment, sensors, analysers and wine monitoring systems, the quality of the fruit entering the process is a priority with, notably, original separators of leafstalks and grapes from secondary flowering which eliminate the need for manual sorting and manipulation.
Preserving the organoleptic qualities of wines is another major trend. Several new presses with large draining surfaces or using a controlled neutral environment are a response to this goal, as are the new vinification vats bringing traditional principles back into use.
Another trend is providing small operations with modern equipment such as:
Health and safety requirements for bottling and bag-in-box packaging remain at the forefront of advances in this field.
Developments in NICT for marketing and training are also worth noting. The farmer-producer now has access to the latest resources for remote business management, thanks to the use of nomad technology - extranet and pocket PCs. Computer tools are also being used as teaching simulators for training wine-growers.
INNOVATION AWARDS:
Gold medals
LAGARDE
Digital position control leaf stripper
This leaf-stripping system consists of one or several heads, a high-speed airflow and a deflector with the profile of an aeroplane wing. Air circulating at high speed (280 km/h) tangentially to the deflector results in a significant vacuum which sucks in vine leaves to the right of a classic cutter bar. The leaf stripper heads are equipped with digital position control enabling them to exactly "copy" the leaf cover of the vine. This control features a flexible flat sensor whose movement in space is recorded by ultrasound sensors and which supplies data in real time, thus permitting optimum positioning of the heads on the row of vines.
NEW HOLLAND
Cropping head for harvesting machine
The new Braud harvesting head is a system for rapid operation of shakers and has been designed so that the user can easily and rapidly set the shakers, in particular the number to be used, in vertical spacing and start up.
This new fixture means rapid engaging and disengaging of the shakers. Quality of work is optimised and settings made easy, according to the features of each vineyard. The cropping head can be coupled and uncoupled from the new multipurpose carrier by one person without tools in under 15 minutes. The work of the operator is thus reduced, as is cost of use.
PELLENC
Machine vision trimmer
This new generation of machine vision trimmer is equipped with a number of innovations, including a "machine vision" system. This means that posts are automatically detected, the wire is followed, rotation speed of cutting equipment synchronised and procedures for entering and leaving a row can be automated.
The machine starts up a few centimetres before the post and stops immediately after it, whatever the shape, thickness or material from which the post is made, without the intervention of the operator. Height of trim is optimised by following the wire, also without operator intervention. The new trimming devices are made of very high limit elastic steel which means that the quality of cut is improved with better resistance as well as a significant reduction in weight.
The vision system is independent of ambient light which means it can be used in full sunlight or at night and offers greater precision than the human eye. The system is very easy to use and extremely reliable. All these innovations offer improved quality of work, and productivity through increased speed is practically doubled.
SIVA
Multipurpose tangential flow filtration
The VINI-TIS multipurpose tangential flow filtration units for clarifying wine, lees, lees from must, and must, have been designed around a TIS (Tangential Integrated System) which means that filter membranes, circulation loop and pump are integrated in a single casing. The membranes are the ceramic, hollow fibre type and the materials used have been specially selected for use with wine.
Tangential filtration is based on two innovative concepts: the ceramic hollow fibre membrane and the TIS which ensure that this filtration unit is compact, adjustable, simple to use and flexible. Hollow fibres together with the TIS mean that the unit does not take up much space and that temperature levels are kept down. A high yield can be obtained from filter operations (therefore a very low volume of lees is produced). Given the high mechanical resistance of the ceramic materials used, this technology is reliable and robust. These special ceramic materials for wine mean low absorption of wine components (polyphenols, total polysaccharides, etc.), thus preserving the typical characteristics and organoleptic features of wines, or other products clarified. The system comes in a range of pore diameters (0.2 to 1.4 æm) and membrane profiles (5 in all) which means that it can be adapted to the type of product to be filtered and the winery's filtration target.
Silver medals
AVIDOR
Multipurpose leaf stripper
This leaf stripper offers three additional operations: clipping, treatment and weed control. The spray mist uses the turbulence created by the leaf stripper suction to reach the bunches more effectively if the nozzle is properly oriented.
After vegetation in the fruit zone has been reduced and plant treatment products used, the trimming of the upper part of the vine with a hydraulic cutter bar (featuring a stake presence alarm) or a rotary tool, means that the plant does not disperse energy and allows for better balance between the quantity of fruit and the leaf surface required for ripening.
Use of the weed control kit, placed at the front of the tractor, means that vegetation can be treated selectively, i.e. only certain plants, according to the grower's requirements. This equipment, designed in collaboration with the University of Turin, Italy, is easily adaptable, inexpensive to run and cost-effective in the time gained and the reduction in investment. It is also more effective (treatment of the bunch from the time of leaf stripping), and more environmentally friendly (reduction in chemical products used, reduced number of tractor passages in the row and therefore reduced soil compaction). Another advantage of this multipurpose equipment is reduced labour at peak times.
BALLIGAND
Low volume weed control head
A flat notched horizontal disc driven by an electric motor receives the spray product by means of an injector. An adjustable louvre flap regulates the opening to adjust the width of treatment from 5 to 60 cm. Excess product falls to the bottom of the housing and is returned to the reservoir.
The innovation consists of injecting a flow similar to that of a traditional sprayer while only actually spraying the plant with part of the product, which again prevents clogging. The spray is more regulated and the 200 micron drops are less sensitive to drift than the micro drops usually produced at low volume.
The advantages of this system are numerous: reduced drift, a wide flow range (between 10 and 50 litres per hectare), simplified adjustment for width of treatment, small size, and reduced risk of clogging.
BERTHOUD AGRICOLE
'Pendant' spray bar for treatment of both sides of a row
In response to the almost generalised increase in trellis height, Berthoud Agricole has developed two new 'pendant' spray bars to pneumatically treat both sides of a row of vines at once. These two pendant spray bars, one for narrow rows of vines and one for wider rows, mean that each side of the row can be treated at a higher vegetation level and therefore more effective coverage:
Designed using Airmist distributors, tested by the ITV and recognised for their spraying qualities, these spray bars combine in the upper part a wide angle Airmist module and in the lower part a standard, double Airmist distributor.
The wide-angle Airmist module has two pairs of distributors, one on each side. The distributors of each pair are either braced together (upright) or superimposed (with an elbow). The spacing between the two distributors and their staggered position has been designed to obtain optimum spray distribution while avoiding disturbance of airflows.
CIAT
Winery and cellar air-conditioning system
The object of the VINEO air-conditioning system is to protect wine from corky tastes. This deterioration of wine is caused by the presence of chlorophenols in roofs, walls, floors, paints, fungicides, pallets and wooden cases. Moulds transform chlorophenols into chloroanisoles which then spread through the air in the cellars and contaminate vats, barrels and all materials in the building.
With the VINEO air-conditioning system, the treatment of the air in the cellar destroys these pollutants. The system uses the concept of air filtration based on the combination of an active charcoal filter and a photocatalysis device to first of all absorb and then destroy the airborne pollutants.
Use of this system means that extensive repairs to the cellar can be avoided, and use of traditional equipment and materials such as wooden barrels, vats and cork stoppers can continue. Furthermore, high-quality wine production can be maintained. The system is easy to install and maintain and suited to all shapes and sizes of cellar.
DIEMME
Controlled environment pneumatic press
In closed basket pneumatic presses, filling and pressing take place in a controlled environment. The atmosphere is controlled by injection and compensation with an inert gas (N, CO2, etc.) and by piloting the imperviousness of all parts connected with this stress, such as doors, juice flow valves, harvest prefill axial valve and gas injection valves. These are piloted by software integrated in the press.
In this way, a controlled environment is obtained which protects the organoleptic qualities of the harvest, but prevents the grapes from oxidising on contact with air. This signals real progress for many wineries.
FAFSEA
Software: vine pruning simulator
This tool is a professional training programme, available on CD ROM. It simulates the effects of pruning on the vine, as practised in France. The object is to ensure that a large number of workers and grape growers are qualified to carry out this work, crucial to good quality vineyard management and wine production.
With the ability to simulate the development of a vine, this training software has been designed to promote reasoning and the acquisition of skills by trainees, and to help master the various pruning operations. It can contribute, in particular, to diagnosis and monitoring of the consequences of trainees' decisions.
By being placed in a virtual work environment and being able to visualise the consequences of their decisions, trainees realise the importance of these choices. This software is the central element of an innovative teaching approach based on NICT applications. It is co-produced by FAFSEA-ENESAD, published by EDUCAGRI Editions and has received financial assistance from the European Social Fund.
SETIV
Horizontal low-pressure press
This horizontal press ensures evacuation of must through the pressed grapes (pulp filter) at very low pressure due to a design based on drainage and speed control of pressure build-up. The principle of low-pressure pressing combined with an exceptional drainage surface (open-work trays and central drain) promotes juice run-off and results in good-quality press juice.
Pressing time is reduced and it is possible to intervene in the pressing cycle in real time by watching the graph display, which results in improved control and greater flexibility of intervention.
Global commendations
A global commendation has been awarded to two companies for their innovative approach to remote technology and applications to enhance use of remote information systems in vine-growing and wine-making. Each of these two companies offers a different service based on remote technology.
These two innovations are a new way of overcoming the constraints of data processing by freeing up users from their desks. They can key in pertinent data without wasting time; they can consult the detailed information they require in the field using the information highway; in matters of urgency they can be contacted in real time.
NEOTIC
Collaborative Agricultural Extranet
NEOTIC's Extranet is a technological platform closely connected with the Wine and Vine Extranet with the object of making data collection in the industry easier and as close to the source as possible, for example in a vineyard plot, and to enhance dissemination of information. It results from the combination of a number of innovative technologies and is offered to users to simplify the exchange of information. It is user-friendly and can be used on pocket PCs, mobile telephones and SMS, scanners, Tablet PCs, etc.
ISAGRI
Remote CRM management system
ISAGRI's remote business management application can be used on a Viti-Pocket or a laptop computer. Available data includes: customer database (complete or partial), product database (complete or partial), stock list, data required for invoicing (prices, rebates), customer history. A grower can also input orders on the Viti-Pocket while visiting customers. If the Viti-Pocket is equipped with Wi-Fi and GPRS technology, orders can be processed directly, packed and shipped immediately.
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