Stabilization of protein unstable white wine: Environmental assessment of a bentonite alternative

With increased growing-season temperatures in some countries, grapes have the potential to reach maturity quicker. Riper grapes have also higher quantities of unstable proteins. 1 Consequently, this increases the protein instability in white wines and the need of better methods to mitigate this problem. The high protein content wines will eventually need (by the actual technologies) higher doses of bentonite to become stable.
We developed a polymer that can decrease the quantities or ultimately abolish bentonite from the wine industry. Reducing wine waste (caused by fining) and avoiding the disposal of large quantities of used bentonite, we can better adapt to the technological difficulties that are inherent to warm climate wines production. Reducing the wine losses caused by bentonite fining will increase the value of the final product and reduce the overall carbon footprint. This way, the already emitted GHG, used water and equipment time spent to produce wine can be translated in final product and not in waste.
Here we present all inputs and outputs of the polymer production, assess how these material flows affect the environment, evaluate the environmental impact of the polymer after usage and the climate impact mitigation of our polymer compared to bentonite baseline.