Research in the Cellar

Since 2013, VinNatur has been collaborating with FOOD MICRO TEAM on various specific projects to support small natural winemakers. Their work stuyding chemical-physical and microbiological analysis helps winemakers avoid problems common to natural wines such as increased volatile acidity, oxidation or bacterial contaminations caused by the non-use of preservatives and additives, and sometimes by poor winemaking and lack of attention to detail. Through the association, Food Micro Team often hold educational webinars to educate and remind winemakers on best practice. Food Micro Team also offers personalised consultancy to VinNatur-associated winemakers to deal with more specific or persistent problems.

VinNatur’s production protocol stipulates the absence of any additives to the wine, with the exception of sulfur dioxide, providing the total values remain below 30 mg/l for red wines and 50 mg/l for white or pink wines. The goal for each associated winery must be to eliminate this use of SO2 (necessary only when the grapes are in less than perfect condition); to do this successfuly, numerous researches are being carried out. Testing, for example, the various uses of the fermentation lees as a preservative, or other fermentation and refinement tests, always accompanied by scientific and irrefutable tests.

Further information on the topic (in Italian):

• ossigeno nel vino
• ecologia dei lieviti vinari
• fermenti naturali