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EP-4741482-A1 - METHOD OF REFINING AN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE AND IN PARTICULAR WINE, AND PLANT FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS METHOD

EP4741482A1EP 4741482 A1EP4741482 A1EP 4741482A1EP-4741482-A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for refining wine, which comprises a phase in which wine (W) containing wood essences (E) passes through at least one ultrasonic conduit (21), said ultrasonic conduit (21) being connected to ultrasonic generating means (20) so as to transmit the ultrasonic waves generated by said ultrasonic generating means to said ultrasonic conduit (21). said ultrasonic conduit (21) being connected to ultrasonic generating means (20) so as to transmit the ultrasonic waves generated by said ultrasonic generating means to said wine (W) containing wood essences (E), said ultrasonic generating means (20) being arranged outside said at least one ultrasonic conduit (21).

Inventors

  • MARTINI, BRUNO

Assignees

  • Ecotecne S.r.l.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20251111

Claims (10)

  1. Method of refining a wine characterised in that it comprises a transit phase of a wine (W) containing wood essences (E), inside at least one ultrasonic duct (21), with crossing of said ultrasonic duct (21), said ultrasonic duct (21) being connected to ultrasonic generating means (20) in such a way as to transmit the ultrasounds generated by said ultrasonic generating means to said wine (W) containing wood essences (E), said ultrasonic generating means (20) being arranged outside of said at least one ultrasonic duct (21).
  2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises the following operating phases: a) loading a wine (W) containing wood essences (E) into a tank (11), b) withdrawing said wine (W) containing wood essences (E) from a collection bottom (14) of said tank (11) and pumping said wine (W) with wood essences (E) into said ultrasonic duct (21) so that said wine (V) containing wood essences (E) continuously passes through said ultrasonic duct (21) from the inlet (21a) of said ultrasonic duct (21) to the outlet (21b) of said ultrasonic duct (21), c) subjecting said wine (W) containing wood essences (E) to ultrasounds determined by ultrasonic generator means (20) operating at frequencies between 18 kHz and 30 kHz, with a power between 5 W/litre and 2000 W/litre; d) return said wine (W) containing wood essences (E), exiting from said ultrasonic duct (21), to the upper part (11a) of said tank (11), e) repeat phases from b) to d), defining an extraction cycle, until all the wine (W) containing wood essences (E) is subjected to ultrasound inside said ultrasonic duct (21) for a total period of time between 30 seconds and 30 minutes.
  3. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said ultrasonic generating means (20) and said ultrasonic duct (21) are configured and connected in such a way that the temperature of said wine (W) containing wood essences (E) at the inlet (21a) of said ultrasonic duct (21) is substantially equal to the temperature of said wine (W) containing wood essences (E) at the outlet (21b) of said ultrasonic duct 21, or alternatively said ultrasonic generator means (20) and the ultrasonic duct (21) are configured and connected in such a way that a temperature difference of said wine (W) containing wood essences (E) between the outlet (21b) of said ultrasonic duct (21) and the inlet (21a) of said ultrasonic duct (21) is between 1°C and 45°C.
  4. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said ultrasound generating means (20) comprise a plurality of ultrasonic transducers of the piezoelectric type, or of the magnetostrictive type.
  5. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that , subsequently to said phase e) of extraction cycles, said wine (W) containing wood essences (E) is filtered in such a way as to separate the exhausted wood essences (E) from said wine (W).
  6. Plant (10) for the refinement of wines, which is characterised in that it comprises: - a tank (11) for the containment of a wine (W) containing wood essences (E), said tank (11) comprising in turn: - a lid (12), having a loading mouth (13), - a collection bottom (14), having a discharge mouth (15); - a recirculation line (16) for the transit of said wine (W) containing wood essences (E), said recirculation line (16) extending between said discharge mouth (15) and said loading mouth (13), said recirculation line (16) comprising: - at least one ultrasonic conduit (21) having an inlet mouth (21a) and an outlet mouth (21b), configured and positioned so as to be internally traversed by said wine (W) containing wood essences (E), - ultrasonic generating means (20) connected to said at least one ultrasonic conduit (21), said ultrasonic generating means (20) being configured so as to transmit ultrasound to said wine (W) containing wood essences (E) which passes through said at least one ultrasonic conduit (21); - pumping means (17) configured to withdraw said wine (W) containing wood essences (E) from said discharge mouth (15), to induce said wine (W) containing wood essences (E) to pass through said at least one ultrasonic duct (21) and to move said wine (W) containing wood essences (E) exiting from said at least one ultrasonic duct (21), towards said loading mouth (13).
  7. Plant according to the previous claim, characterized in that it comprises a diverter valve (40) with at least three ways, said diverter valve (40) being configured to divert said wine (W) containing wood essences (E) from said recirculation line (16) to a separation line (30), said separation line (30) being configured to remove said wood essences (E) from said wine (W).
  8. Plant according to claim 6 or 7, characterised in that said ultrasonic generating means (20) are connected to said at least one ultrasonic duct (21) so as to allow the transmission to said wine (M) of vibrations such as to determine the generation of ultrasonic cavitation in said wine (W) containing wood essences (E).
  9. Plant according to one or more of claims 6 and 7, characterised in that said ultrasonic generating means (20) comprise at least one support and transmission body (27) configured to support a plurality of ultrasonic vibration generators (28) for the vibration of said at least one ultrasonic duct (21), each portion (21c) of said at least one ultrasonic duct (21), which is fixed to a corresponding support and transmission body (27), being surrounded by at least two ultrasonic vibration generators (26).
  10. Plant according to one or more of claims 6 to 9, characterised in that said separation line (30) comprises a discharge duct (31) configured to connect said at least three-way valve (40) with separation means (32), said separation means (32) being configured to separate the wood essences (E) from said wine (W) and to collect said refined wine (WA).

Description

Technical field The present invention relates to a method for refining an alcoholic beverage, in particular wine, and to a plant for carrying out this method. Alcoholic beverage refers to wine and also other alcoholic beverages or spirits in general. Background One of the main and most appreciated methods of ageing wine is barrique ageing. The term 'barrique ageing' derives from the French feminine noun 'barrique', which refers to a barrel used for the maturation and storage of wine. The term 'barrique wine' refers to wine that is left to age slowly in oak barrels. The reactions that occur during the wine maturation process due to the contact between the oak wood and the wine itself influence various aspects of the wine. Barrique maturation stabilises the colour of the liquid, makes the wine less dry and smoother, promotes better ageing and gives it greater aromatic complexity. What differentiates barriques from other barrels is the material, the components that characterise them and their manufacture: techniques that are continuously being perfected thanks to the work carried out and refined by generations of winegrowers. The wood used, generally oak, is seasoned in the open air, exposed to the sun and rain, for a period ranging from two to four years: the rain cleans it of a series of bitter particles, while the sun makes it less porous and more impermeable, thanks also to the metal hoops that hold the various staves together, thus protecting the wine from sudden oxygenation that could compromise its aromas and integrity. The rules of good normal winemaking give a barrique used for wine a maximum life of two to three years. The classic barrique ageing process, although well known, widespread and widely appreciated, is not without its drawbacks. A first drawback is linked to the fact that, over time, the wood of the barrels tends to lose its aromatic essence, and the extraction of aromas is exhausted. Good cellar practice also recommends 'changing' the wine every three months, i.e. emptying the barrique, washing it thoroughly and then refilling it with the same wine or another wine depending on the expected ageing time, generally two to three 'passes' for white wine and two for red wine. All this makes properly barrique-aged wines much more expensive than their counterparts produced exclusively in concrete or steel tanks. Another limitation of known barrel ageing techniques is related to the length of time the wine remains in the barrels. In fact, completing a barrel ageing process can take from a few weeks to several months or even years, depending on the desired refinement. Another drawback is that ageing barrels have a relatively short lifespan. Up to a certain point, barriques can be regenerated, i.e. lightly milled inside, washed, sanitised and re-toasted, which requires a corresponding expenditure of materials, processing and labour. Summary of the invention The technical problem posed and solved by the present invention is therefore to develop a method for refining an alcoholic beverage, in particular wine, as well as a plant for implementing this method, capable of overcoming the aforementioned limitations of the known technique. In particular, an important purpose of the invention is to develop a method for ageing wine that allows a barrel-ageing effect to be obtained in a much shorter period of time than with known barrel-ageing practices. Another purpose of the present invention is to develop an energy-sustainable method that can be implemented with a plant that has low energy consumption. Another important purpose of the invention is to develop a rapid method and therefore to develop a plant with high production efficiency. Another purpose of the present invention is to develop an extremely versatile and modular refinement method with respect to the scents, tastes, flavours, odours and aromas in general that are to be transferred to the wine being treated. A further purpose of the present invention is to develop a refinement method and a plant for implementing this method that allow for a lower consumption of plant-based support materials, such as barrique barrels. This task and these purposes are achieved by a method for refining an alcoholic beverage, in particular wine, according to claim 1, as well as by a plant for implementing this method according to claim 6. Preferred features of the present invention are the subject of the respective dependent claims. Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the electric motor structure according to the invention, supported by the drawings provided for illustrative and non-limitative purposes in the attached tables and listed below. Brief description of the figures Reference will be made to the figures in the attached drawings, in which: Figure 1 represents a schematic view of a plant according to the present invention for carrying out a method of refining wi