To produce high-quality liquor that will be at the forefront of the competitive wine market, each stage of the production process must be accomplished at the highest level of quality.
In Austria, the Weinhof Krachler vineyard is using ABB’s Coriolis flowmeter with DensiMass integrated software and an RVG200 data recorder to ascertain precise measurements of the wine must’s sugar content, allowing the manufacturer to control the wine's final alcohol content.
The DensiMass software enables the manufacturer to calculate the level of alcohol and sugar.
ABB equipment is usually used to accurately measure volume and mass flow, density, and liquid concentration in industrial systems, including water treatment plants and chemical production plants.
Austrian vineyard uses ABB Coriolis flow meter and RVG200 recorder to improve wine quality
Video Credit: ABB Measurement & Analytics
Sampling Versus Complete Measurement
The Weinhof Krachler vineyard is seven hectares of land dedicated to viticulture. The Austrian Vineyard produces red, white, rose, and sparkling wines. All wine-making begins with the same initial stage: the production of wine must.
Grapes are harvested, weighed, and treated to squeeze out the juice. Wine must is, in essence, grape juice, which contains the fruit’s skins, seeds, and stems. Pomace, the solid part of this mixture, typically makes between 7 and 23 % of the total weight of the must.
At this early stage, the must has a precise sugar content that the manufacturer needs to know to precisely control the fermentation process. The wine’s quality is dictated by its sweetness and potential alcohol content. ABB’s solution enables winemakers to ensure the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity in the finished wine.
The owner of the Weinhof Krachler vineyard, Markus Krachler, says: “The sweetness of the juice is important to know as it gives information on how much alcohol will be in the final wine after fermentation. Not all the sugar is fermented during the winemaking, as some is left to give the wine a proper sweetness.”
In addition to the sugar content, the must’s acidity is also measured; these dimensions allow the quality of the finished product to be established. Different combinations of sweetness and acidity are required depending on the wine and grape. Some wines, such as dessert wines, require more sugar and less acidity.
The sweetness of a grape has previously been measured by assessing a sample with a refractometer, measuring the refractive index of a liquid, which changes depending on moisture content.
However, such a method only gives intermittent measurements and limited information. Krachler required a tool that could give a more complete measurement in his vineyard.
“Introducing continuous on-line measurement provides a constant indication of sweetness. By using the CoriolisMaster, we get not only the sweetness but also the weight of the produced juice and the volume as well.”
ABB's CoriolisMaster and RVG200
The CoriolisMaster device can constantly display the sweetness level of the must in the Klosterneuburg weight scale. The data recorder logs the sweetness data and converts it into other units to fit the needs of different countries.
Other measurement units used include Oechsle, a hydrometer scale that measures the density of the must, and Brix, which indicates the ripeness of the grape and sugar content.
The data recorder is also able to convert data into relative density. Austria’s Wine Institute gives a standard relating to the relative density stating that this should be quoted at 20 °C.
Image Credit: ABB Measurement & Analytics
Image Credit: ABB Measurement & Analytics
At Weinhof Krachler, the data recorder calculates this figure from measurements made by the Coriolis flowmeter, estimating the density at the must's actual temperature.
The data recorder is also used to calculate the predicted alcohol content of the wine. Austria’s Wine Institute distributes this to all vineyards and wine producers. The estimation is updated each year to reflect the changes in each harvest.
“Since the CoriolisMaster FCB450 can measure much more than only the sweetness, the RVG200 is a perfect instrument to collect all the data. The sensor is equipped with Ethernet TCP Bus so the RVG200 can handle all this information by simply connecting one Ethernet cable. The RVG200 can also give us all the batches of different types of grapes recorded separately and stores all this information for further investigation.”
Using Data to Improve the Quality of Wine
“Knowing all these parameters, the quality improves right from the beginning of production. With this information, it is easy to get an accurate prediction of the fermentation.”
The RVG200 data recorder features touchscreen operation and dual USB ports for connecting external devices and communications via ethernet and RS485. It can connect to up to 24 process signals through analog inputs or digital communications.
The CoriolisMaster FCB450, with its incorporated DensiMass software, can provide direct concentration measurements, Brix measurements, and net oil calculations (water content).
Even temperature-standardized estimations of volume and density, based on the broad database held in the measuring device, can be conducted. The device also offers FillMass software to regulate filling operations.
Coriolis flowmeters do not require up- or down-stream piping and can thus be installed in very small spaces, enabling previously impossible applications. The flowmeters can be operated externally via capacitive keys.
Even if Weinhof Krachler expands, the data recorder could continue to support the vineyard.
“In our small vinery we only use one press for harvesting,” says Krachler, “but the RVG200 could handle much more information than required at the moment. I like the flexibility of the RVG200 as it could allow us to expand.”
This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by ABB Measurement & Analytics.
For more information on this source, please visit ABB Measurement & Analytics.