Development of new methodologies to study the redox state of wines in the context of global warming – RedoxWine

The REDOXWINE joint laboratory aims to establish a long-term collaboration between the CBMN institute, a research laboratory at the University of Bordeaux, and BIOLAFFORT, a company of the LAFFORT Group - world leader in oenological solutions. REDOXWINE is committed to perform high quality research and development, followed by commercialization, to offer the wine industry novel analytical tools for the efficient evaluation of the redox state of wines, at different production states, from their genesis to the ageing.
From a Chemical and Biological point of view, many living processes, such as photosynthesis, cellular respiration and fermentation, are based on delicate equilibriums between redox reactions. Plants such as grapevines depend for their development and fruiting on well-defined balance between reducing (phenols, thiols, sugars) and oxidizing molecules (atmospheric oxygen and its reactive derivatives). After centuries of trying to protect wines with antiseptic and antioxidant products (e.g., spices, sulfur), modern oenology has gained considerable interest in the fundamental understanding and control of redox equilibriums in wines occurring along the winemaking process. Such highly complex physico-chemical equilibriums evolve over the course of wine preparation, vinification and ageing, with an increasing impact of climate change. Indeed, the latter establishes fast and frequent modifications in vine growth conditions and wine production, whose oenological balances change (sugar, alcohol, acidity) and are highly sensitive to oxidations. This lead commonly to a loss of organoleptic qualities, specificity and ageing capacity.
In response to these major technical and economic challenges faced by the wine industry, a major need has arisen for R&D to provide new and so far unexplored solutions in order to prepare for future developments. Hence, the efficient characterization of the redox state of wines - from the plant or soil (terroir), to the must and the bottled wine - has become one of the most important objective in the industrial and academic oenological research. In this context, the CBMN institute and BIOLAFFORT have been working together to rise solutions to this issue for several years, and as part of the REDOXWINE LabCom seeks to develop characterization tools (R&D), aiming to offer these (valorization) to wine professionals.
The CBMN will contribute with its scientific skills and analytical platforms, in particular with the electrochemical and spectroscopic equipment, in order to develop sensors and detection methods for antioxidant-reducing molecules (phenolic acids, anthocyanins, sulfite, thiols, among others) and oxidants (for example oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, metals) in wines during different stages of the winemaking process. Afterwards with these multi-parametric approaches, BIOLAFFORT will define the redox signatures of wines as a function of their grape varieties, origins, terroirs and oenological practices, in order to understand the relationships between such signatures and the quality or furthermore, the aptitude of wines for ageing. In addition, collaborations with research centers, oenological analysis laboratories and producers will allow to create databases that can be used to study changes over time and under the impact of climate change.
The foundation of the REDOXWINE LabCom is underpinned by a desire to capitalize on the joint R&D efforts of CBMN and BIOLAFFORT. Initial work on sulfite anion detection will be matured in the short term, a start-up company is planned, and future results will be examined for the possible production of an international patent. LabCom will eventually offer studies and services to its collaborators and customers, in order to generate self-financing and recruit dedicated staff. The success of REDOXWINE will thus generate scientific and economic added value, producing in addition jobs for both the laboratory and industrial company.