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The evaluation procedure of the research works participating in Enoforum Contest 2021, a global virtual competition for the scientific community in wine sector, was completed. More than 100 scientific works from different countries were competing for the Award 2021, 42 of which were selected by the Scientific Committee, composed this year of 86 scientists from 17 countries, to be presented orally at Enoforum Web Conference 2021.
During the three days of Enoforum Web Conference, which was held online from 23rd to 25th of February, authors of the 42 best ranked works shortlisted for the award presented their research in a flash-talk format focusing on the practical outcomes. The digital congress has had a wide resonance among the technicians from all over the world, and has registered a huge success with over 5500 participants. Distinctive character of the Enoforum Contest is the primary role given to agronomists and oenologists in the definition of the winners by evaluating the presentations in real time during the conference.
The winner is Lucía Gonzalez-Arenzana of Institute of Grapevine and Wine Sciences (ICVV), based in Rioja (Spain), who carried out the research entitled “Cold plasma at atmospheric pressure for eliminating Brettanomyces from oak wood” together with the co-authors Ana Sainz-García, Ana González-Marcos, Rodolfo Múgica-Vidal, Ignacio Muro-Fraguas, Rocío Escribano-Viana, Isabel López-Alfaro, Fernando Alba-Elías and Elisa Sainz-García.
In the oenological industry, the maintenance and sanitation of oak barrels has become a fundamental task. The wood has a porous structure that facilitates the penetration not only of the wine, but of the microorganisms it contains, such as the alterative yeast Brettanomyces bruxellensis. Although the most widely used method of sanitizing barrels is the burning of sulfur tablets, there is a European directive that will limit this practice, even when an effective alternative has not yet been found. This research is part of a project that studies the application of cold plasma at atmospheric pressure (APCP) to sanitize oak wood staves.
The 10.000 € prize is devolved to research fund of the winner, and the research will be presented in detailed way in the future Enoforum events in USA and Italy.
The manuscript describing the Winner’s research is available on: “Cold plasma at atmospheric pressure for eliminating Brettanomyces from oak wood”
