OENODIA’s Revolutionary STARS Technology recognized by top Champagne brand

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STARS Technology offers more than just stabilization to Sparkling Wine Producers – helps with disgorging, adjusting pH and lowering calcium!

OENODIA, the oenology division of Eurodia Industrie SAS, one of the world’s leading specialists of membrane-based treatments for the global agri-food industry, has been providing the breakthrough STARS technology for wine producers for the last 20 years.

STARS technology is not only well suited for red or white wines, but it also presents huge benefits for sparkling wines too which is why it has long been used by many sparkling wine producers worldwide. Such countries as Italy for Prosecco or Spain for CAVA and in the U.S. too, several top sparkling brands have been processing their wines with STARS technology for many years.

The trend towards growth looks set to continue with the first OENODIA STARS XF being commissioned in Champagne, at MUMM’s historic facility in Reims, France, this month.

STARS stands for Selective Tartrate Removal System. It refers to a membrane-based process, unique to OENODIA, that offers winemakers a controlled and measured extraction of potassium, calcium and tartrates from the wine prior to bottling.

Winemakers have long lauded the OENODIA STARS technology for providing 100% guaranteed stability, with zero wine loss, measurable energy savings and without the addition of additives, while ensuring the complete removal of the tartrate crystals that many consumers find objectionable in the finished wine.

Furthermore, in addition to these benefits, STARS technology can play a vital role in the sparkling wine process, as it enables you to lower overall pH and to effectively remove calcium. Indeed, calcium can cause headaches for winemakers long after the wine leaves production.

“Calcium crystallization is a new and growing issue worldwide, with no clear scientific explanation so far,” explains OENODIA’s Sales Manager Fabien Requillard. “It’s particularly important for sparkling wine. Calcium doesn’t respond to chilling. It may appear in the wine aging on lees, promoting extra gushing while disgorging and leading to additional wine losses. Some wineries have also seen problems with late calcium crystallization on supermarket shelves years afterward, a crippling non-quality that had never reached the final consumer beforehand. STARS technology then turns out to be essential to prevent such hazards on the marketplace.”

Requillard notes that the beauty of STARS is a guaranteed reduction of calcium concentration, while simultaneously removing tartrates and potassium from the wine solution regarding standard potassium crystallization.

He points out that the Mumm facility in France first implemented a STARS mobile service to confront the calcium issue on a trial basis. Among the reduction in wine loss from 1.5% to zero compared to chilling, they also realized another 1.5% wine savings by cutting down gushing while disgorging. Following the successful trials that were done over the past 3 years, Mumm management decided to invest in a STARS XF unit, the unique in-line combination between a STARS Stab unit and a crossflow filter to streamline their process.

“Producers are realizing that with STARS, they reduce or eliminate wine loss and see a huge saving in energy costs,” Requillard affirms. “Chilling, which is the most common alternative to our membrane-based technology, uses up to 90 percent more energy in the process. Energy and water savings mean money saving.”

OENODIA is the exclusive developer of the STARS Line which features three cutting edge technologies that have revolutionized the global wine industry: STARS STAB, STARS pH and STARS XF.

STARS STAB guarantees immediate and permanent tartrate stabilization via Electrodialysis (ED) with no additives and no adverse effects on sensory characteristics; STARS pH uses the innovative, membrane-based technology to allow you to dial in your pH, to adjust the pH in your wine and must naturally and with precision; STARS XF merges crossflow filtration with STARS to allow continuous filtration and stabilization of wine with no intermediate tank or multiple control function requirements, which facilitates rapid, automated processing.

For more information on OENODIA and its groundbreaking STARS technology and its STARS Mobile Service, go to oenodia.us or stop by their BOOTH #2406 at the Unified Symposium in Sacramento, January 30th thru 31st, 2019 to talk directly with representatives.

Une STARS30 au cœur de l’Alentejo

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Mi-février, notre équipe technique s’est rendue à la cave coopérative de Borba, au cœur de l’Alentejo pour quelques jours de formation qui ont permis à l’équipe de la cave de prendre en main leur nouvel outil : une STARS30 pour la stabilisation tartrique. Cette semaine de rencontre et d’échanges nous a permis de découvrir une région riche d’histoire et une cave coopérative au dynamisme exemplaire.

Alentejo : la belle n’est pas endormie

Atterrir à Lisbonne, ne pas s’attarder sur la côte et filer vers la frontière espagnole, au mépris des recommandations classiques des guides touristiques. Nous voilà dans l’Alentejo, niché à l’est de de Lisbonne, qui s’étend sur la majeure partie de la moitié sud du Portugal. Que la quiétude des villes et la nature préservée ne vous trompent pas : dans l’Alentejo, on avance tranquillement, mais sûrement. Les rues calmes cachent des trésors historiques, des monuments somptueux, une gastronomie rustique et pointue, et des caves où s’élaborent de véritables pépites œnologiques.

Des vins de caractères

Les richesses sont avant tout naturelles : la région produit du marbre et du liège ; ses sols de schiste, de granite et de calcaire se prêtent à l’élaboration de vins de caractère. Au cours des siècles, l’Alentejo a d’ailleurs séduit nobles et têtes couronnées qui ont élu tour à tour Evora ou Vila Viçosa comme lieux de villégiatures. Aujourd’hui, l’Alentejo a beaucoup à offrir à l’amateur de bons vins, royal ou roturier. En rouge, les assemblages donnent la part belle à la trincadeira, à l’aragonez (alias portugais du tempranillo), à l’alicante bouschet – auquel on doit la couleur intense du nectar, ainsi qu’aux cépages « internationaux » que sont la syrah et le cabernet sauvignon. En blanc, on se délecte de l’aromatique antao vaz, de l’arinto et du roupeiro. Près d’un million d’hectolitres sont produits sur les 22 000 hectares de l’appellation, les trois quarts en rouge. Adega de Borba, avec une production de 120 000 hl, s’impose comme un acteur de taille dans la région, aussi bien en volume qu’en renommée.

Adega de Borba : une tradition, être pionniers

Bien qu’encouragée par les pouvoirs publics, la fondation de la cave coopérative, en 1955, était un pari : le secteur viticole était à l’époque anecdotique dans l’économie de la région, basée alors sur la production céréalière. Le pari s’est révélé gagnant : aujourd’hui, Adega de Borba regroupe 300 coopérateurs sur plus de 2000 hectares et emploie 62 personnes. Bien sûr, si le terroir et la qualité des raisins sont à l’origine ce succès, il a fallu bien plus pour transformer l’essai : l’esprit d’innovation, la volonté de toujours progresser et l’utilisation intelligente des technologies et savoir-faire modernes qui guident l’équipe d’Adega de Borba depuis plus d’un demi-siècle y sont pour beaucoup. Tout d’abord, la cave ne « fait pas son âge » : soigneusement entretenue, éclatante de propreté, incluant de nombreux équipements modernes -filtre tangentiel, analyseur Foss, elle fait mentir nombre de clichés sur les caves coopératives. Une démarche qualité à faire pâlir les plus grands groupes internationaux est mise en place. La cave s’implique dans de nombreux projets de recherche scientifique. Un nouveau site de production et de stockage a été acquis récemment. La recherche de l’efficacité, le respect de l’environnement et la recherche d’ergonomie sont des principes qui guident l’équipe de la cave au jour le jour comme dans ses projets d’investissement ; c’est donc naturellement qu’Adega de Borba s’est tournée vers la stabilisation tartrique membranaire.

STARS30 : économie d’énergie, gain en ergonomie

L’acquisition d’une unité de stabilisation STARS30 va leur permettre de s’affranchir de la stabulation à froid, plus énergivore et pénible pour les opérateurs. Adega de Borba compte aussi gagner en réactivité, en fiabilité de la stabilité et en respect du vin, avec une dissolution bien moindre d’oxygène.

La cave se sert des technologies les plus pointues pour laisser le terroir s’exprimer pleinement, et le résultat est à la hauteur : des rouges chaleureux, souples et charnus, des blancs parfumés et frais, à des rapports qualité-prix imbattables.

Nós recomendamos. Bem-vindos no Alentejo !

Avec TecnoEquip sur Enomaq 2019 : une semaine d’immersion dans le marché espagnol

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Début mars, notre équipe commerciale s’est rendue à Saragosse à l’occasion d’Enomaq, salon référence de la péninsule ibérique pour le matériel viti-vinicole. Sur un stand avec nos partenaires espagnols, TecnoEquip et Gemstab Servicios Vinicolas, nous avons pu échanger avec notre réseau et développer nos contacts dans une ambiance conviviale, entre cava et tapas.

A la fin du salon, notre unité STARS30 d’exposition a changé de destination pour partir vers le Portugal chez un nouveau client, à l’instar du croissant qu’on ne fait pas emballer chez le boulanger, à consommer de suite – un début 2019 dynamique pour Oenodia et nos partenaires de la péninsule !

Une première œnologique : STARS à Jerez

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L’équipe d’Oenodia augmente en effectif (et en tour de taille !)

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Les fêtes de fin d’année sont un excellent prétexte pour se retrouver autour de jolies bouteilles et de non moins jolies agapes – prétexte que l’équipe d’Oenodia n’a pas manqué de saisir en se réunissant autour d’une belle table aixoise fin décembre 2018. Un dîner festif pour une équipe qui s’agrandit Nous étions presqu’au complet, […]

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PG&E studies electrodialysis for cold stability

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California’s 1,100 wineries produce 500 million gallons of some of the world’s finest wines. In the process, they consume around 400 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity every year — the equivalent of powering almost 60,000 homes. More than 25% of this electricity is spent on clarification-stabilization, the final step in which tartaric acid is reduced through energy-intensive refrigeration.
As an alternative to refrigeration, some winemakers are using electrodialysis, a technology developed in Europe in the early 1990s. The titratable acidity (tartaric, citric, malic and ascorbic acid concentrations) is unchanged. Potassium bitartrate and calcium tartrate salts are removed from solution.
Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) commissioned two studies at California wineries, with the goal of determining the most energy-efficient methods to stabilize wines. The first study, which took place at Fetzer Vineyards (Hopland, CA), compared the energy consumption of electrodialysis to that of cold stabilization. The second study compared the energy efficiency of cold stabilization at Fetzer Vineyards to that at another site, where cold stabilization was enhanced by seeding, using insulated tanks, and other factors.
Despite using more water, the electrodialysis process was found to be up to
99%more energy efficient than cold stabilization, using eight watt-hours (Wh) per gallon to stabilize the wine versus 22 to 1,200Wh per gallon for the cold stabilization process (whether tanks are insulated or not). For uninsulated tanks, it is 95%of 1,200Wh per gallon; for insulated tanks, it is 95%of 22Wh/gal.

Energy efficiency of the cold stabilization process varied greatly depending on a number of factors, including tank insulation, wine type, seeding, and duration of stabilization. Electrodialysis was shown to maintain wine quality, reduce wine loss, and reduce processing time from weeks to days.
Electrodialysis stabilized wine in just a little over one day, while the cold stabilization system that included seeding and tank insulation required five days. The unenhanced cold stabilization system took a full 46 days.
PG&E and Fetzer Vineyards: energy efficiency partners
These studies are part of PG&E’s Emerging Technologies (ET) program, which identifies, assesses, and brings to market the next generation of energy-efficiency solutions for Californians at home, at work, and in industry. ET works with a wide range of customers who have opened their homes or businesses to host these studies.
Working with PG&E, Fetzer Vineyards tested electrodialysis as part of the winery’s goal of adopting innovative and sustainable viticulture and winemaking methods. The mobile trailer-mounted « STARS » ED unit was provided by Winesecrets (Napa, CA).
« We have been very pleased to participate with PG&E in this electrodialysis study, » says Ann Thrupp, Fetzer sustainability manager. « As innovators in sustainable winegrowing practices, we hope this kind of information can be useful to others who are interested in saving energy and gaining efficiency benefits from new technologies. »
Science behind tartrate stabilization
As the final step before bottling, stabilization reduces the concentration of potassium bitartrate (cream of tartar) in wine. For customers, this means no « wine diamonds » will be visible at the bottom of a chilled bottle of wine. Traditionally, this is accomplished by chilling the wine to around 27°F for a period of 1½ to 3 weeks, depending on how quickly the potassium bitartrate is crystallized.

BY Steve Fok, PE
Pacific Gas & Electric Co.
https://www.practicalwinery.com/sepoct08/page1.htm

De l’œnologie à la viticulture

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Livre à lire : De l’œnologie à la viticulture

Aujourd’hui, la filière vitivinicole s’organise en définissant d’abord la demande en vins puis en choisissant des pratiques adaptées aux potentialités du terroir. Elle doit faire face à l’évolution profonde des marchés et des attentes des consommateurs, et aux défis du changement climatique.

Cet ouvrage aborde l’ensemble des étapes allant de l’environnement de la vigne à l’élaboration du vin, jusqu’à sa dégustation et ses effets sur la santé : climats, sols, terroirs, cépages, santé de la vigne, méthodes de culture, tailles, viticulture durable, appellations, vinification, composition du vin, innovations techniques, qualités organoleptiques, recherche sur les polyphénols et les arômes, dégustation sensorielle…

Ce livre, largement illustré, concilie les explications scientifiques des processus et la pédagogie des savoir-faire grâce à l’expérience des auteurs. Il s’adresse à tout lecteur intéressé par le monde du vin, qu’il soit viticulteur, œnologue, consommateur éclairé ou étudiant.

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Additive-free solutions for winemakers

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More natural winemaking methods offer additive-free solutions for winemakers as demand for transparency on all foods and beverages continues to grow

STARS can guarantee stability and improve wine quality with zero additives and zero wine loss!

A recent editorial by renowned French winemaker and researcher, Jean Luis Escudier outlined a major shift in European winemaking this year when the European Alcohol and Beverage Industry, in response to consumer demand for more transparency and following a series of meetings with the EU Commission, proposed a self-regulating agreement in which producers will list nutritional information and ingredients for their products.

The introduction of this agreement could be an indication that change might slowly be coming to the world of winemaking with respect to transparency and producer accountability. Producers may soon be unable to hide behind Federal law (that does not require labeling for alcoholic beverages above 1.2% alc.) or claim to be “all natural” or “low intervention” when listing a long list of additives, including the one used during the stabilization process, on the back of their labels.

Should the labeling law change, winemakers will either have to employ new methods of winemaking, that do not involve so many additives, or hope the more informed consumer will still buy their product.  One non-additive solution winemakers could be embracing is STARS, the membrane electrodialysis technology that offers an additive-free stabilization method of winemaking.

Membrane electrodialysis technology was developed by INRA (the French National Institute for Agricultural Research) and Oenodia and has been used in winemaking since 1997. STARS is a membrane process that uses a charged current to extract the anions and cations in the calcium and potassium ions. This leads to wine stability without the use of any additives or loss of wine and the process is in a closed system so no oxygen pickup occurs either.

Yannick Le Gratiet, Director of Oenodia, talked about the process and how it came about, “It came down to the same fundamentals that the consumer is worried about today: What is in the wine? We wanted to create a process that would stabilize the wine while retaining the quality without adding a bunch of chemicals to it. We need to have fewer additives in the bottle and focus on the characteristics of the wine.”

Yannick is a big proponent of producer transparency. As a former winemaker, he understands the necessity for the additives in the market but believes there are better non-additive ways to achieve high-quality wine. STARS is the only system on the market to see 100% efficiency from beginning to end and has been doing so since the first unit was installed in 1997 and in that time not one bottle of wine has come back unstable. In contrast, additives can fail down the line causing haze or turbidity when you thought your wine was stable. There is no guarantee!  With STARS, there is, and it has been proven over the last couple of decades.”

Oenodia attributes its success with STARS, not only to the ED technology but also to the development of the Stabilab, a test to measure the wine instability before treatment (DIT Test), provide a specific treatment number to get the wine stable at -4’ C and another test after treatment to check the wine and verify results (ISTC50 Test).

“We preach precision winemaking,” says Yannick, “There is no guesswork involved in the STARS system. Our compact, efficient and easily operated units have been developed by a team of skilled technical engineers and winemakers who bring invaluable expertise and experience.”

The STARS system is the only 100% efficient stabilization method with no additives, no oxygen pickup, and zero wine loss that is on the market. Last year they added STARS XF to their STARS line which combines a crossflow filtration system with the original STARS system so you can stabilize and filter your wine at the same time.

When talking about the future of the STARS system, Yannick is very positive that growth will continue at an accelerated pace. He says, “There are currently 250 stationary systems in wineries worldwide and we would like to see close to 450 units by 2025.  Our goal is to reach 4 billion bottles stabilized by the STARS system, which would only account for about 10-15% of the worldwide wine market. That would mean that millions of consumers will enjoy wine without stabilization additives.”

“The market in the US continues to grow rapidly for us” he added. “In addition to our stationary unit sales, our STARS Mobile Service department now operates 3 mobile units from Napa offering our STARS pH, STARS Stab and new STARS XF (which combines STARS with crossflow filtration) processes.  The 3 units allows us to not only provide our stabilizing service but we can also carry out trials as part of our stationary equipment sales. Customers are drawn to our single pass and 100% guarantee process which ensures “wine to bottle” quickly with quality, color, and stability intact along with zero wine loss, which along with everything else deliver a very attractive ROI on STARS.”

For more information, you can stop by the OENODIA booth #113 at WINEXPO on December 6th in Santa Rosa or at the UNIFIED Symposium, Booth #2406 in Sacramento, Jan 29th and 30th.  Or you can visit us online at www.oenodia.us.