WO2008020101A1

WO2008020101A1 - Improved system for producing wines

Info

Publication number: WO2008020101A1
Application number: PCT/ES2007/000477
Authority: WO
Inventors: Francisco José LESMES BLANCO; Alfonso Velasco Fernandez-Nespral; Angel Luis Marguello Gonzalez; Rafael MUÑOZ ALONSO
Original assignee: Conal Tecnología, S.L.
Priority date: 2006-08-09
Filing date: 2007-08-02
Publication date: 2008-02-21
Also published as: ES2298054A1; ES2298054B1

Abstract

System for producing wines, in particular for maintaining the inert condition of products in the solid or liquid state in a relationship of minimum contact with the air, in order to prevent oxidative processes that spoil the quality of the resulting wine. It comprises means (1) for directly receiving the grape harvest at the gathering point and maintaining the product under chilled conditions and under an inert atmosphere; a reservoir (11) divided, on the inside, into two superposed bodies (11a, 11b), the maceration stage taking place in the upper body (11a) and the fermentation stage in the lower body (11b); means for recovering the CO2 gas generated in the reservoir during the fermentation stage, in order for it to be stored and re-used; a phase-separation device (13), which can be positioned removably inside the reservoir (11); and a press device equipped with means for fixing in the selected position.

Description

DESCRIPTION Object of the Invention

The present invention relates to an improved system for winemaking, which provides essential novelty characteristics and notable advantages over known means and used for the same purposes in the current state of the art.

More in particular, the invention develops. a system for ^• winemaking that presents substantial changes in certain phases of the process, with respect to the procedures of the current technique, and whose system includes the incorporation of modified equipment advantageously for an optimization of the process with a view to obtaining quality wines Improved, for which purpose, the procedure has been designed in a way that allows a drastic reduction of the oxidative processes during processing, and at the same time considerably improves the ecological slope of the preparation by being designed in a way that allows a complete recovery of CO gas ₂ that is generated during fermentation.

The field of application of the invention is within the industrial sector dedicated to the production of wines in general. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Those skilled in the art are aware of the different operational phases that characterize the processes of making wines, white or red. In general, each of these phases is perfectly defined, and perform successively over time, with the treatments and development conditions ^' that are necessary to obtain the results ^' that are intended. The following are some general details of each of the processing phases referred to:

- Harvest: involves harvesting grapes in the vineyard for deposit in boxes or other containers, and their subsequent transport to the winery ^•;

- Unloading: the grapes transported to the winery are deposited in a stainless steel hopper from which it is fed, with the help of an endless screw, to the destemmer; - De-stemming: it is an operation in which the grapes from the hopper are assembled and by rotating a perforated cylinder inside which an axis with rods rotates in the opposite direction, the grape is separated from the scrapes; - Crushed: the grape grains from the destemmer are subjected to the action of rubber rollers through which the grapes are crushed, forming a semi-liquid paste;

Pumping: the pulp produced in the crushing phase is transferred to the stainless steel or other material tanks used to start the fermentation:

- Fermentation: it consists in the transformation of the sugars contained in the grape, in alcohol, by virtue of the action yeasts, whether their own or selected;

- Maceration: period of time of permanence of the liquid coming from the crushed with the skins of the grapes; during maceration, the skins yield anthocyanins and tannins essential to determine the quality of red wines; Bleeding: consists of the separation of the liquid

- with respect to the solid part that constitutes the skins; - Pressing: it is an operation in which the solid parts obtained after bleeding are subjected to pressing for the extraction of the remaining liquid.

Some of the operational phases of the general process of t elaboration that have been stated in the foregoing, will vary depending on the type of wine to be obtained.

However, the need to avoid oxidative processes through the various stages of the manufacturing process, which are so damaging to the quality of the wines, is a fundamental fact known. If, for example, the phase of unloading the grapes is attended, depending on how the harvesting of the grapes was carried out, that is, if it was carried out manually or with the use of machines, the risks of oxidation vary clearly : in the manual mode, the grape does not suffer oxidation as long as it is processed quickly, while in the case of harvesting with machines, there is always a real risk of oxidation despite the fact that the addition of antioxidants is a common practice ; this effect of Oxidation translates into a deterioration in the quality of wine, especially if it is white grapes on which this effect has a much mauro incidence than in the case of red grapes. On the other hand, the usual maceration processes are subject to these same risks, being necessary the creation of inert atmospheres that prevent contact with oxygen, which again has a much more pronounced incidence in the case of wines

^" whites." The necessary transfer operations during the phase of _. maceration for the separation of solid and liquid parts in conventional processes, or the transfer operations between the press and the deposits on the occasion of the pressing phase, again entails oxidative risks that must be avoided for a good final wine quality resulting.

Summary of the invention

That is why ^', taking into consideration the drawbacks associated with the current procedure winemaking and equipment in which it is performed, the present invention has proposed as its main objective the development of an improved system that allows to provide effective solutions to the problems raised in relation to the systems of the current technique. This objective has been fully achieved by means of the system that will be described in the following, and whose essential characteristics are compiled in the characterizing portion of the attached reinvindication 1.

In essence, the invention has set objectives specific clear that substantially improve the manufacturing process, and for this purpose it has developed improved equipment that affects some specific phases of the procedure. These specific objectives are defined below: 1) In the first place, the invention has designed a new fermentation equipment, designed to improve the techniques used in the current elaboration such as stripping, bleeding, defanging, etc., when said equipment is constituted. by two bodies that facilitate these operations, under a CO2 atmosphere to avoid possible oxidation;

2) Another main objective is directly related to energy and environmental aspects, since it consists in the recovery and reuse of CO ₂ that occurs during the wine fermentation phase. On the one hand, the recovery and non-elimination of CO ₂ produced by fermentation is achieved in the atmosphere, and on the other hand, a saving of the energy expenditure necessary for the production of CO ₂ used to achieve inert atmospheres for processing and the storage;

3) The system has also been designed so that the maceration is carried out in the upper body of the tank made of two superimposed bodies, with a submerged hat for reds and whites, traditional maceration for reds and whites, carbonic maceration with an inert atmosphere for pink and red, etc. The maceration of targets in the same tank, without subsequent movements, prevents the release of catechins. 4) Another objective is the possibility of carrying out the pressing operation inside the tank itself, using the CO2 obtained; This implies a substantial improvement in the quality of the wine, both white and red, since the movement of pasta is avoided, as well as its subsequent oxidation by being protected with the inert atmosphere thus created. Additionally, this conception of pressing in the deposit itself also entails the advantage of significant economic savings, by avoiding the need to build a civil work for the press, the press itself or the decrease in the number of them, thereby increasing Product competitiveness

In addition to the above objectives, the system of the invention has provided that the harvesting operation be carried out in a manner that allows the grape to be protected from the moment of its collection, for which purpose a deposit located on a mobile platform has been designed , capable of being positioned directly in the place of the vineyard, and destined to receive the must obtained by mechanical harvest, to be treated as if in fact it was already in the cellar. This embodiment allows a treatment under different concepts to those of the traditional vintage, since now "the winery is transported to the vineyard". The different operations of destemming, crushing and pumping, are now carried out under the shelter of the air, in avoidance of oxidative risks, in a completely different way from what happens in traditional procedures. Brief Description of the Drawings

The detailed description of the preferred form of implementation of the system proposed by the invention will be carried out in the following with the help of the attached drawings, in which, by way of illustrative example and without any limiting character, it is shown the next:

Figures la and lb are schematic views in side elevation and top plan of an embodiment of a carrier mobile platform deposit in situ reception must from a vintage;

Figure 2 is a schematic elevational view of a two body reservoir according to the invention, and

Figure 3 is an illustration, also schematic, of a removable device, designed for positioning at a variable height inside the tank for the purpose of maceration and / or pressing. Description of a preferred embodiment

As mentioned above, the description of the preferred embodiment of the system proposed by the invention and the manner in which the specific objectives indicated are achieved, will be carried out in the following with the help of the attached drawings, through which the same numerical references will be used to designate the same or similar parts. Thus, a first proposal of the invention is to provide equipment that minimizes the time the must has to be in contact with the air.

As is known, the phases in which the vinifications differ in white and red wines; As common phases, the reception of the grapes, weighing, sampling, stripping and crushing can be considered. However, there are a number of conditions associated with each type of grape (white or ink) and that have a direct impact on the production process. For example, when it comes to white grape harvest, it is advisable to do it in the coolest hours of the day, since if the temperature is high, the phenomena of maceration and oxidation are favored, therefore it is advisable to transport and process the Grape immediately. In addition, the higher temperatures also hinder the racking process and the control • of the fermentation temperature, for which reason a planned cooling is usually carried out by passing through a heat exchanger to decrease the temperature in the cellar.

During this work phase, the grapes and the must are in contact with the oxygen in the air, which leads to oxidation effects, much more pronounced in white wine than in red wine. The effects of oxidation consist mainly of a denaturation of the aroma, a destruction of the fruity character, and a darkening of the color. The juice of the grape is subjected to the action of the air from the moment of the crushing, because there is a flow of liquid from the crusher to the receiving tank, where it remains exposed to the air on its surface. But it is, above all, during the drained operation of the squeezed vintage when oxygen penetration is more important, due to the large contact area and the duration of this operation.

Oxidations during winemaking are the most serious, because the must is much more sensitive than wine, and therefore more difficult to protect. The oxidations of the must are enzymatic in nature and in the process two oxidized ones take part: the tyrosines, always present in the grapes, and the larynx of Botrytis cineérea, present in the rotten harvests. The oxidized ones are located on the solid parts of the grapes, and their passage in the must and the damages that cause them, depend on the more or less energetic way of the work of the grapes. His interest increases with the maceration, the mechanical crushing of the pomace, and the pressure t of the pressing. On the other hand, the oxidation of phenolic substances causes intense color modifications (in extreme cases, it constitutes oxidic bankruptcy) and the formation of rough and bitter substances. Other constituents of the must are equally oxidized, in particular the aroma substances. As an example, we can mention the fact that musts consume on average 2 mg of oxygen per liter and per minute, while wines take 24 hours to consume the same amount; This demonstrates the great oxidative capacity of musts. Some solutions proposed in the prior art, have included the use of sulfur dioxide, or ascorbic acid, but the results of the analyzes organo ^¬ Leptic have not been as accurate as would be desirable. That is why the present invention has made a considerable improvement in the equipment used in the process, so that the grape / must can be protected against oxidation from the moment of collection, with the help of carbonic gas.

In accordance with the invention and for the aforementioned purposes, it is planned to carry out a device capable of being transferred to the same place of harvesting (the vineyard), whose general characteristics are shown in the schematic representations that appear in Figures la and Ib of the attached drawings.

As can be seen, the device consists essentially of a receiving tank, referenced with 1, of t predetermined capacity, located on a mobile platform 2 provided with wheels 2a so that it can be dragged by some tractor equipment (not shown). The tank is connected to a cooling unit 3 and to inerting means 4, fixed to the same platform 2, by means of which the maintenance of the temperature and the internal pressure is guaranteed at predetermined limit values. The inertization gas control is carried out through a socket 5 provided with a pressure gauge 6 indicating the internal pressure, and the tank also has stirring devices 7 located inside it, while in the lower position it has an outlet socket 8 for transfer of the must from the inside of the tank 1. In the upper part it is provided with an entrance mouth indicated with the reference (Figure Ib), as well as an entrance 10 for the supply of CO ₂ gas.

As will be understood, with a grape / must collection equipment designed in the manner described in relation to Figure 1, the contact time between the grapes or the must with the air is reduced to minimum values, the product being kept under an inert atmosphere that prevents its eventual oxidation.

According to another objective of the invention, the developed system allows the wine making process to be carried out in a much more ecological and less aggressive way for the environment than in traditional procedures, because the system of the invention allows an efficient recovery of the

CO ₂ generated during the process, and its reuse both in inertization operations of environments and in pressing operations.

As is known, the alcoholic fermentation that takes place inside the deposits to which the musts have been transferred, consists in the formation of alcohol from the sugars existing in the grape. This process is essential for winemaking, and during it there is a great release of CO ₂ governed by the following equation:

C ₆ H ₁₂ O ₆ > 2CH ₃ -CH ₂ OH + 2CO ₂ + heat (40 kcal / mol) The duration of the fermentation is of the order of 10 to 15 days, and shows two clearly differentiated stages: Tumultuous fermentation stage :

Its duration is 8 to 10 days, and the activity of the Yeast is maximum. It coincides with the sharp decrease <of density, with the maximum release of CO ₂ , and with the increase in temperature; Slow fermentation stage: As a result of tumultuous fermentation, the sugar content is considerably reduced, so that the alcohol begins to be toxic to yeasts, the decrease in density being very slow, reducing the release of CO ₂ , and keeping the temperature. The processing tanks should not be completely filled, since the increase, due to carbonic gas can be up to 20%, the rest of the carbonic gas is expelled by the valves of the tanks. As a general rule, per liter of wine around 50 liters of CO ₂ produced during fermentation.

Consequently, the improvement provided by the present invention in relation to said gas consists in incorporating CO ₂ recuperators in the fermentation tank, by means of which an effective recovery of said gas is carried out so that it can be reused for the creation of protective atmospheres of grapes and must against unwanted oxidation. Reclaimers used by the invention correspond to specially designed designs for use in these industries, and endowed with the required characteristics in relation to the working pressure, the degree of purification of CO ₂ obtained, the possibility of recovery of the alcohols emerging, ..., etc. As mentioned above, the generation of CO ₂ gas is produced by the fermentation of the sugars contained in the musts, inside the tank provided for that purpose. Figure 2 illustrates an example of a tank designed according to the invention, indicated in general by reference numeral 11, which is composed of two separate, superimposed bodies, an upper one indicated by the numerical reference lia, and a lower one indicated by the numerical reference 11b. Of these, as has been said, fermentation occurs in the lower body, 11b, while in the upper body the maceration phase occurs as will be described later. The design characteristics of the tank 11 are such that they can withstand the pressure derived from the pressing. Both bodies are separated by a dividing element 12, with a configuration that recalls the shape of an inverted spoon, inclined positioning, which facilitates the automatic discharge from the upper body lia. On the other hand, Figure 3 shows a diagrammatic view, diametrically sectioned, of a device 13 specially designed and designed for positioning inside the tank 11, and prepared for fixing in the chosen position, at the corresponding height. This device performs a phase separation and is composed of a base 14 which usually consists of an extractor canvas through which the liquid can pass to the bottom of the tank or area Fermentation.- In addition, the device incorporates several inflatable O-rings 15, which surround the base perimeter, and whose inflation pressure exerted against the inner wall of the tank 11 itself, immobilizes the device in the chosen position. The deflation of said toric elements 15 allows the device to be removed, for cleaning purposes or for any other cause.

Said separating device 13 is of fundamental importance in relation to the phases of the process related to maceration and pressing, since as an intermediate element it also acts as a filter for the liquid that descends by gravity to the lower body 11b

4 of the deposit for fermentation purposes. According to the invention, and due to the geometry of the tank 11 divided into two bodies, as said, partial maceration in the upper body and the fermentation of the must in the lower body 11b is possible, discharging by gravity and avoiding thus the use of pumps and, more importantly, the aeration that such elements cause. In this way, the elimination of catechins is avoided, which is expected to significantly improve the quality of the wines.

Finally, the system has also planned to pay attention to the pressing operation carried out on the grape harvest or on the fermented pomace, so that the action of extracting the liquid from the grape (or the remaining liquid) is carried out under conditions that guarantee The best quality possible of the liquid obtained. For this purpose, the system of the invention has provided that the pressing operation be carried out by pressure, smoothly, within pre-established limits that help to ensure that the extraction is limited to the sugary juice of the vacuoles, without reaching extracting intracellular fluids that negatively affect the properties of the wine, avoiding the dilation of solid parts and with minimal oxidation and maceration.

According to the invention, the pressing operation is carried out inside the fermentation tank 11b itself, with the use of an elastic device specially designed for this purpose (not shown in this description) and so that by virtue of the pressure exerted on it by the gas itself, the clamping action of the elastic device is produced on the solid parts to which it is applied. With a way of operating like the one just mentioned, some basic principles of the ones that are mentioned below are achieved: - It is achieved that the system performs a gentle treatment of the product, avoiding dilated and broken solid parts that give place to sludge that stock the product and give unpleasant flavors, and With a pressed operation as described above, the aeration of the vintage, the must and the wine is avoided as much as possible, and with it the consequent oxidative effects. In the above, a description of the preferred embodiment of a system designed by the invention for the production of wines in accordance with aspects that make it possible to greatly improve the operation followed by current procedures, by reducing the contact of the products with the air and keeping them under inert atmospheres, thereby eliminating oxidative actions, and improving environmental aspects by virtue of the effective recovery of the CO2 generated as a result of the reaction in alcohol transformation of the sugar contained in the must, thereby avoiding its discharge into the atmosphere and enabling its reuse in The different phases of the process. Although this way of carrying out the invention can be understood as the preferred one for illustrative purposes, there is no doubt that those skilled in the art will be able to introduce modifications and variations of detail, equally protected, that may affect both the operational phases listed as to the apparatus and devices included in the system and which have been described above, it being understood that such variations are also protected by the essentiality of the invention, defined in the claims that follow.

Claims

1.- Improved system ^' for the production of wines, in particular a system designed and designed to maintain an inertization of the products in solid or liquid state in a relationship of minimum contact with the air with a view to avoiding oxidative processes that reduce the quality of the resulting wine, the system being able to influence certain phases of the winemaking process with maintenance of said operating conditions, characterized in that the system comprises: means (1) designed and trained for the direct reception of the grape harvest at the place of collection (the vineyard), and the maintenance of the product in refrigerated conditions and under an inert atmosphere; a tank (11) designed so that it presents its interior space distributed according to two overlapping bodies

(lia, Hb), in which the maceration phase in the upper body is carried out, at least partially

(lia) and the fermentation phase in the lower body (llb); CO ₂ gas recovery means generated in the tank during the fermentation phase, for storage and reuse as appropriate; a phase separator device (13), removably positionable inside the tank (11), equipped with means for fixing its positioning at variable height, in the position of interest ", and a pressing device, designed to its incorporation inside the tank, and equipped with fixing means in the selected position.

2. - System according to claim 1, characterized in that said means (1) for direct reception of the product at the place of collection consist essentially of a mobile platform (2) and which has been mounted a reception tank (1) a refrigerator

(3) and an inerting equipment (4), said tank (1) counting with internal agitators (7), control means (5, 6) of the pressure of the inerting gas inside the tank, a socket (10) for supply of the inerting gas, and an outlet

(8) product download.

3. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the tank (11) incorporates a dividing element (12) located between both bodies, configured as an inverted bucket and positioned with a predetermined inclination to facilitate automatic unloading from inside the body superior (lia).

4. System according to claim 1, characterized in that said device (13) phase separator, removably positioned inside the tank

(11), includes a base (14) of canvas or the like, perimetrically joined to inflatable toroidal elements that keep said device (13) in the position chosen by the inflation pressure exerted on the inner wall of the tank itself.

5. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the pressing device performs the pressure action on the solid parts of the grape inside of the tank itself, under an inert atmosphere, and includes an elastic bottom responsible for pressing the solid parts when a gas pressure is exerted thereon, the pressing device also being provided with position fixing means inside the tank.