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n Champagne paradox: stamped with the seal of secrecy, the tool for real-time measurement of the carbon dioxide emitted during the alcoholic fermentation of musts is deployed on all Moët & Chandon (LVMH group) champagne vats. This tool allows fine monitoring, with a measurement every millisecond of the CO2 flow, explains Marc Brévot, director of the Robert-Jean de Vogüé research center in Oiry (Marne). Having required ten years of development with the oenological expertise of the Montpellier Supagro school of agronomy (Doctor Jean-Marie Sablayrolles) and the sensors of Vivelys (Oeneo group), the tool makes it possible to finely measure the fermentation kinetics and to use it to automatically control vinification (temperature management, addition of oxygen, etc.).
“Monitoring CO2 is much more informative than doing density, which does not provide dynamics, or carrying out oenological analyses, which only give a few points” indicates Marc Brévot, who points out in particular the interest of knowing the moment of maximum CO2 release: “Vmax, the tipping point between the exponential phase of growth [des levures] and the stationary phase he explains. With the data from these sensors and the characteristics of each batch of grapes, Moët & Chandon has developed real recipes for conducting alcoholic fermentation. Following a logic of « retro-engineering »the Moët & Chandon winemakers control the fermentation of each batch according to the objective of obtaining a finished product profile that meets the house’s organoleptic signature, says Marc Brévot, noting that“we are looking for tailor-made: each tank is treated differently” thanks to control algorithms. The collection and analysis of data from previous vintages makes it possible to adapt the vinification strategy to each particular case. With data for example useful this year for “refining the nitrogen supplementation strategy in view of the climatic conditions of the vintage” reports Marc Brévot. The optimal fermentation conditions have also been determined in the recipes: turbidity, lipids, early sulphiting, etc.
Next steps
For the research center, the challenge is to further improve the system in order to be able to deploy it on small volumes of micro-vinifications. This would allow the tool to be used on barrels and barrels. Another development would make it possible to improve the energy efficiency of vinification, by reducing the consumption of cold during alcoholic fermentation. “A big consumer item” slips Marc Brévot, who indicates that he has “ideas in mind”but will say no more.
Enriched with LVMH data to supervise processes other than just fermentation, this specific tool remains internal to the luxury group. With Montpellier SupAgro, Vivelys has developed a similar tool, Scalya, to optimize vinification (thermal instructions, addition of nitrogen, etc.) with real-time monitoring of fermentation (via sensors) or modeling of fermentation kinetics (with algorithms corrected according to density readings) explains Laurent Fargeton, Development Director of Vivelys.
