From industrial validation to field application
In 2024, Elea Technology GmbH conducted industrial-scale trials in an Italian winery during harvest, marking a key milestone in the development of Pulsed Electric Fields (PEF) technology for the wine sector.
The results, later presented at Enoforum 2025, confirmed that PEF can be successfully implemented under real industrial conditions, delivering tangible benefits in both process efficiency and wine quality. At the same time, these trials highlighted an important consideration: the performance of the technology is closely linked to grape characteristics, production conditions and winemaking practices and must be interpreted within the full process context.
👉 To revisit the first phase of industrial validation and initial results, including the Enoforum 2025 video recording, read this article:
https://www.infowine.com/en/pulsed-electric-field-technology-pef-for-wine-production/
Building on these findings, Elea launched a new initiative in 2025 aimed at testing PEF directly during harvest across multiple wineries and production contexts. This marked the transition from industrial validation to field application and led to the creation of the PEF Wine Tour 2025.
A travelling harvest to understand and optimise PEF application
The PEF Wine Tour was designed as a mobile industrial trial carried out under real production conditions across Italy and Spain. The project involved:
- 9 wineries across Italy and Spain
- 6 major wine regions, including Veneto, Umbria, Abruzzo, Campania, Sicily and Ribera del Duero
- 13 grape varieties, both white and red
- White varieties: Chardonnay, Pecorino, Fiano, Grillo, Glera, Trebbiano (Lugana and Spoletino), Vermentino
- Red varieties: Aglianico, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Tempranillo, Sangiovese and a Bardolino blend (Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella)
- More than 760,000 litres of must treated
Beyond the scale of the trials, the objective was to move from validation to application knowledge: not only confirming the benefits already observed at industrial scale, but also understanding how process parameters need to be adapted depending on grape variety, operating conditions and each winery’s specific winemaking approach.
To make this possible, a mobile plug-in configuration was developed using the PEF Advantage P1e system installed on a trailer, allowing it to be transported between wineries and deployed directly during harvest.
The system was integrated downstream of the destemmer-crusher without requiring any structural modifications to existing equipment. This plug-in approach ensured rapid installation and uninterrupted production, while allowing the technology to be tested under authentic cellar conditions.
By replicating trials across very different operational environments, the roadshow enabled the collection of comparable data sets and provided a robust basis for evaluating the performance of PEF under heterogeneous real-world conditions.
👉 For a detailed behind-the-scenes look at the project, including winery visits, harvest conditions and on-site implementation, explore the PEF Wine Tour Diary:
🔗 https://www.eleapef.com/wine-and-olive-oil-pef-tour-2025
Technological results: consistent trends, variable outcomes
The results obtained during the roadshow confirmed the strong potential of Pulsed Electric Fields (PEF) to improve extraction processes and overall winemaking efficiency under real production conditions.
In red wines, several trials indicated an increase in colour intensity and structure, in line with enhanced extraction of phenolic compounds. A reduction in higher alcohols associated with less desirable aromatic notes, including isoamyl alcohol, isobutanol and 2-methyl-1-butanol was observed. In addition, in some cases an increase in diacetyl was detected. Depending on wine style and overall vinification strategy, this may contribute to enhanced roundness and sensory complexity.
In white wines, the treatment highlighted interesting effects on must clarification and composition. In several cases, spontaneous clarification of PEF-treated must was observed without the use of fining agents. This was accompanied by increases in total dry extract and glutathione. A marked reduction in catechin content was recorded in specific varieties (e.g. Grillo), in some cases reaching reductions of up to 70 %.
Another relevant aspect concerns fermentation kinetics. Across both red and white vinifications, PEF showed a tendency to accelerate alcoholic fermentation, contributing to improved process efficiency. However, this acceleration was not systematically observed across all varieties and conditions, confirming that fermentation response depends on grape matrix, yeast management and cellar practice.
At the same time, results were not uniform. Variability across grape varieties, production conditions and wineries confirmed that the effect of PEF depends on a combination of factors, including the initial matrix and process management.
Sensory evaluation: winemakers’ perspective
Sensory evaluations carried out by winemakers and winery teams directly involved in the trials confirmed that the effects of PEF were clearly perceptible in the finished wines.
Across multiple wineries, winemakers reported that wines produced from PEF‑treated grapes showed clearly perceptible differences compared to controls. In white wines, these were frequently described as more expressive and structured, with a broader aromatic perception and a more defined palate balance. In red wines, winemakers reported enhanced fruit expression, greater roundness and a softer tannic perception.
These observations were collected directly from the participating wineries across different regions and production contexts, providing a practical and application-driven perspective on how PEF influences wine style in real cellar conditions. Despite differences between varieties and winemaking environments, the sensory feedback confirmed a coherent overall direction aligned with the technological outcomes.
All tastings were performed under controlled vinification conditions, allowing a direct comparison between treated and untreated batches produced within the same winery protocols.
Key learnings from the PEF Wine Tour 2025
The PEF Wine Tour 2025 enabled the collection of extensive real-world data across multiple wineries, grape varieties and harvest conditions, offering a comprehensive view of PEF application in practice.
The results confirm the technology’s ability to enhance extraction processes, improve process efficiency and positively influence wine composition. At the same time, they clearly highlight that outcomes are not uniform, but strongly dependent on grape variety, winery conditions and winemaking decisions.
A key insight is that PEF should not be considered a plug-and-play solution. Rather, it acts as a process enabler whose benefits materialise when aligned with targeted fermentation and cellar strategies. Its real value emerges when it is integrated into the broader winemaking process, where fermentation management and cellar decisions play a decisive role in shaping the final result. Adaptation of process parameters and downstream winemaking strategies is therefore essential to fully unlock its potential.
The roadshow also confirmed the importance of direct collaboration with winemakers, demonstrating that successful implementation relies on practical adaptation and iterative optimisation under real production conditions.
Outlook: from field validation to Enoforum 2026
The PEF Wine Tour 2025 represents a decisive step in moving Pulsed Electric Fields from industrial validation to large-scale field application across diverse winemaking environments.
The next phase will focus on further refining process understanding and strengthening the link between technology, grape variability and winemaking strategy, with the aim of supporting even more targeted and efficient applications in cellar practice.
👉 The outcomes of this extensive, multi-winery campaign will be showcased and explored in depth at Enoforum 2026, taking place on May 20–21 in Zaragoza, Spain (Booth 13). At the event, Elea Technology will present new comparative data, application insights, and practical perspectives on integrating Pulsed Electric Fields (PEF) into modern winemaking practices.
Visitors will also have the unique opportunity to taste Tempranillo wines produced during the 2025 roadshow at the renowned Coto de Caleruega winery in Spain, offering a direct sensory impression of PEF’s impact.
In addition, Stefan Toepfl (MD, Elea) and Javier Raso (Professor, University of Zaragoza) will deliver a joint presentation on May 21 at 10:30 AM, highlighting the latest advancements and applications of PEF technology in enology.
Elea warmly invites wine professionals, researchers, and PEF enthusiasts to join the conversation at Enoforum 2026 and explore how this innovative technology is shaping the future of wine production.
https://www.eleapef.com/events/enoforum
📩 For more information or to book a consultation
Sveva Cesari
PEF Wine Expert & Technical Sales, Elea Technology
📧 s.cesari@eleapef.com
🌐 www.eleapef.com/pef-wine
