Participants
There are 9 Beneficiaries, 11 Associated Partners and 1 Associated Partner linked to the beneficiary in the Eco2Wine consortium
Beneficiaries
1. UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI MILANO (UMIL)
UMIL, Coordinator of Eco2Wine, will host one DC. UMIL is a public teaching university with teaching and research programs covering a wide variety of disciplinary fields. A leading institute in Italy and Europe for scientific productivity, the University of Milan is the largest in the region; it is also an important resource for the socio-economic context of which it is a part. The University of Milan belongs to the League of European Research Universities (LERU) and maintains close contacts with other research institutions abroad and with international scientific institutions. The Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences - One-Health Unit (DSBCO), the Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), and the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (DISAA) will be involved in the Eco2Wine project. DSBCO-One-Health deals with one-health approach (https://www.fao.org/one-health/en/), DeFENS mainly engages in the Food and Nutritional Sciences sectors, and DISAA focuses on the environment and farming systems. The Eco2Wine research team at UMIL (66% are women) is coordinated by Ileana Vigentini, Associate Professor in Wine Microbiology and Biotechnology (contact person for REA). Ileana Vigentini has worked with yeasts and bacteria in industrial, food, and oenology fields since 2002. She has expertise in molecular biology and biotechnology, microbial physiology, microbial biodiversity community dynamics, and secondary microbial metabolism. Research activities carried out by the research team that are relevant to the Eco2Wine proposal are the assessment of grapevine and microbial genetic biodiversity, genome editing by CRISPR/Cas approach, plant diseases management, and the production of sustainable wines.
2. UNIVERSITE DIJON BOURGOGNE (UB)
UB fulfils a dual mission of education and research in all scientific fields and will host one DC. It is in six sites in Burgundy: Auxerre, Chalon-sur-Saône, Dijon, Le Creusot, Mâcon, and Nevers. The research activity at the University is structured in four major areas: Health and ICT, Material Sciences and Technologies, Agro-environment and food sciences, and social sciences and humanities. Research at UB is organised around six scientific areas: food and environment, health and molecular engineering, photonics and advanced materials, learning and care, heritage and territories, and vine and wine. It is conducted in certified research laboratories including national research bodies (CNRS, INRA, INSERM). UB also has a federal structure, the Humanities and Social Sciences House. Regarding the vine and wine scientific area, UB's strengths are multiple, the first being its official recognition as a priority sector. The second is the Jules Guyot Vine and Wine University Institute (IUVV). The Valmis group, coordinated by Hervé Alexandre, has a long-standing history in the field of yeast and bacteria in wine. Regarding yeast, studies were mainly focused on adaptive stress response mechanisms and yeast interaction. Valmis already has much experience in fermentation and yeast and bacteria ecology analysis in grapes, must, and wine. Valmis developed a strong expertise in metabolomics applied to microbiology. Since then, many different metabolomics studies have been conducted in wine and are still in progress. Expertise in wine fermentation, microbial interactions, and metabolomics will benefit the consortium.
3. HOCHSCHULE GEISENHEIM (HGU)
HGU is a public higher education establishment in Hessia, Germany, and will host one DC. The curriculum and research activities of HGU encompass the areas of viticulture, oenology, international wine business, beverage technology, horticulture, plant physiology, and landscape architecture. HGU employs professors, lecturers, research and experimental scientists, and technical and administrative personnel. Research, as well as teaching, covers a broad spectrum of applied and basic research. Scientists at HGU have a multitude of national and international collaborations and are involved in many collaborative grants. The Institute of Wine and Beverage Business comprises five chairs and addresses all business economic topics regarding the wine and beverage sector. The Chair of International Marketing Management is focused on wine marketing (including consumer behaviour studies) and strategic management topics in national and international settings. Prof Hanf's research and teaching topics include consumer behaviour, vertical coordination, and marketing strategies.
4. GEORGIAN TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY (GTU)
GTU (hosting one DC) is a public and teaching university. It is one of the largest state universities in Georgia. There are 15 scientific research institutions and 12 faculties at the GTU. The Faculty of Agrarian Sciences and Biosystems Engineering was established four years ago. The Faculty of Agrarian Sciences and Biosystems Engineering mainly engages in food, agro-food, and nutritional sciences, training and research on farming systems, forestry, livestock, environmental, energy, and agro-engineering. The bachelor's program in viticulture was instituted in the 2018-2019 academic year with 60 students and, with the cooperation of the University of Milan, with a double degree diploma for successful students. The MS Viticulture and Oenology program has been available in Georgian and English since 2015. This program works in cooperation with SupAgro VINIFERA school (Montpellier, France), and the best Georgian students can obtain a double degree since the academic year of 2022-2023.
5. UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PERUGIA (UNIPG)
UNIPG, founded in 1308, is among the oldest and most esteemed public Italian universities dedicated to teaching and research. UNIPG will host one DC. For the fifth year in a row, Perugia is the first among 15 large-sized universities and, with a score of 93/100, is the fourth of 73 Italian universities. CEMIN, one of the three centres for research excellence at the University of Perugia, hosts scientists of different specialities with a mission of trans-disciplinary studies in general and applied microbiology, biotechnology, and chemistry. CEMIN is the home of the CEMIN Microbial Collection (CMC), with some 3000 strains of yeast and bacteria isolated from food, environmental, and clinical settings, with particular attention to immediate freezing to keep the trait selection at a minimum due to laboratory conditions. The institute has an outstanding scientific publication record. The research team at CEMIN is coordinated by Gianluigi Cardinali, a full professor in microbiology and biotechnology with a long experience since 1993 in microbial diversity, molecular biology and biotechnology, microbial genetics, phylogenetics, and bioinformatics. The research team also included Laura Corte (microbiology and metabolomics) and Debora Casagrande Pierantoni (microbial biotechnology). The relevant research activities carried out by the research team for the Eco2Wine proposal are the development of the best procedures for the “in situ” and “ex-situ” conservation of the microbial biodiversity of oenological interest, development of a “portable” and sustainable system for NGS-based metagenomics; development of approaches and procedures for governance and ruling of the microbial diversity conservation.
6. UNIVERZA V LJUBLJANI (UL)
UL will host one DC. The Biotechnical Faculty is one of the largest faculties of UL and provides university-level, advanced professional and postgraduate education in life sciences, agriculture, forestry and fisheries, and related production technologies, including biotechnology. Its employees carry out world-class fundamental and applied research in genetics, molecular biology, and biotechnology. The UL team will be coordinated by Uroš Petrovič, a full professor of genetics and molecular biology and a specialist in yeast functional genomics and yeast biotechnology. The team will also include Neža Čadež, a senior scientist and assistant professor of microbiology with expertise in yeast taxonomy, yeast genomics, the ecology of industrially important yeasts, and the role of yeasts in food fermentations. She is also a UL Collection of Industrial Microorganisms (ZIM) curator. Research activities carried out by the research team that are relevant to the Eco2Wine proposal are biodiversity mapping and conservation, correlations between genotype and phenotype, and interactions within microbial consortia.
7. AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS
CSIC will host one DC. It is Spain’s largest public research institution and ranks third among Europe’s largest research organisations. CSIC plays a key role in scientific and technological policy in Spain and worldwide. According to its statute, CSIC has four main missions: i) to foster multidisciplinary scientific and technological research; ii) knowledge transfer to industry and society; iii) education and training of scientific and technical staff; and iv) creation of technology-based companies. The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) operates 120 institutes across Spain, recognised for excellence with the "HR Excellence in Research" award. A key contributor to the European Research Area, CSIC leads ERC projects and actively participates in EIT's Knowledge and Innovation Communities, reinforcing its pivotal role in European research and innovation. The Instituto de Ciencias de la Vid y del Vino (CSIC-ICVV) is a joint Institute created by the agreement of CSIC with the University of La Rioja and the Government of La Rioja. Its mission is to provide a multidisciplinary research environment to develop fundamental knowledge and technological applications in viticulture and oenology and to back up the competitiveness of the wine sector. ICVV participates in local, national, European, and international projects. Two groups of CSIC-ICVV, Microwine and Vitigen, are involved in this proposal. Microwine group (wine yeasts metabolism, genetics, and biotechnology) is devoted to microbial wine biotechnology and has recently published important papers regarding microbial interactions and wine fermentation. The Vitigen group (grapevine genetics and genomics) is interested in the estimation and characterisation of the existing grapevine genetic diversity (at the species, subspecies, and variety levels), focused on the prospection, collection, conservation, and genetic and phenotypic characterisation of grapevine genetic resources, as well as in the study of the molecular basis of the variation for traits of agronomic interest.
8. UNIVERSIDAD DE CADIZ (UCA)
UCA has four campuses, 64 degrees in its academic program, an increasing supply of postgraduate courses, qualified research groups, and centres across Cádiz (Spain). UCA has several MSc and PhD programs in which the postgraduate student could be incorporated. The MSc programs relevant to this proposal include biotechnology, agri-food, chemical engineering, and environmental conservation. Additionally, students can join quality doctoral programs. The research team from the University of Cadiz has built, over the last 29 years, significant experience on topics related to Botrytis infections, as well as the characterisation of the genes involved in the secondary metabolism of Botrytis and yeast species, with different national and international institutions. Some of these institutions are The University of Münster (DE), The University of Wageningen (NL), The University of Brown (US), The CSL of York (UK), The University of Milan (IT), The Queen University of Belfast (UK), The University of Adelaide (AU), and The Max Plant Institute (DE), The INRAe (FR), The University of Salamanca (ES), The University of La Laguna (ES) and The University of León (ES). The UCA team is integrated into the International Doctorate School in Agri-food (eidA3) and the Agri-food International Campus of Excellence ceiA3 (http://www.ceia3.es/). The UCA team has formed 36 PhDs, 16 in the last ten years.
9. STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY (SU)
SU will host two doctoral candidates and is a fully accredited university with ten faculties: Arts, Economic and Management Sciences, Education, Science, Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Health Sciences, Military Science, Law, Theology, and Engineering. SU is recognised as one of the top research universities in South Africa with a long history of pure and applied research across a large range of disciplines through partnering with industry and government, both locally and internationally. The university is listed on three reputable international rankings (QS, THE, Leiden). It has the highest total outputs (publications and postgraduate students) per academic staff member of all South African universities. The South African Grape and Wine Research Institute (SAGWRI, formerly Institute for Wine Biotechnology) is an internationally renowned research institute within the Department of Viticulture and Oenology. It offers post-graduate degrees in viticulture, oenology and wine biotechnology. Research focuses on many aspects relevant to the various disciplines, including grapevine physiology and molecular biology, remote sensing and precision viticulture, fermentation, yeast and bacteria ecology, physiology, molecular interactions between species and molecular biology, wine chemistry, and wine sensory analysis. The Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science, and Technology (CREST) was established on 1 January 1995 in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. In January 2010, it also became an academic department in the same faculty. As a research centre, its work covers the broad fields of research evaluation and impact assessment studies, research on higher education knowledge production, bibliometrics and scientometrics, human resources in science and technology, and studies on the communication patterns of scientists. As an academic department, it hosts five post-graduate programs in Monitoring and Evaluation Studies and Science and Technology Studies. Since 1 April 2014, CREST has been the official host of the DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Scientometrics and Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (SciSTIP). “Research evaluation: assessing the uptake, use, and impact of research” is one of five research focus areas of SciSTIP. CREST research programmes focus on public science communication and public engagement with science.
Associated Partners
10.-NATIONAL-WINE-AGENCY-OF-GEORGIA-(NWAG)
NWAG - Legal Entity of Public Law under the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, was created under the Law of Georgia on Vine and Wine. The Agency has the following responsibilities: a) control and certification of wine production quality; b) Georgian wine promotion and progress of awareness; c) promotion of the growth of export potential; d) research and promotion of Georgian vine and wine culture; e) creation of cadastral department registry of vineyards; f) promotion of organised vintage conduction. The National Wine Agency carries out its activities through permanent contact with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture and cooperation with the state and private companies operating in the wine industry. The permanent staff of the NWAG includes a board of wine tasters for sensory analysis of Georgian wines, and experts from the wine sector are the members of this board. NWAG will actively participate in training activities and host three DCs for secondment.
11.-MIGUEL-TORRES-SA-(MTSA)
MTSA is a family business and a leading wine producer in the Spanish wine industry. MTSA produces quality wines and brandies that are exported to more than 140 countries, the principal markets being Russia, Finland, and Ireland, among others. MTSA brand represents trust, guarantee, quality, research, new product development, and environmental respect. Nowadays, the company produces about 60 million bottles of quality wines and brandies, and 70% of this production is exported. MTSA's success is built on its engagement in research and innovation that allowed for improving wine quality positioning in the market. The global crisis has reduced wine consumption, and, more than ever; it is necessary to generate new knowledge that translates into innovation and innovative products that allow companies to differentiate from competitors and maintain leadership within the wine industry. The optimisation of wine quality relies upon the production of high-quality grapes, and because of this, research becomes crucial to reach this goal. MTSA will actively participate in training activities and host four DCs for secondment.
12.-FUNDACION-RIOJA-SALUD-(FRS)
Through the work performed at CIBIR, FRS aims to promote and protect human health through teaching, research, development, and innovation in all areas of health sciences. The Genomics and Bioinformatics Core Facility is a central support service in which complete genome analysis services are provided through massive sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. FRS will actively participate in training activities and host four DCs for secondment.
13.-SOUTH-AFRICA-WINE-(SAW)
South Africa Wine – Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) is one of three divisions of South Africa Wine. It commissions and funds academic research to benefit the South African wine industry's grape growing and winemaking sectors. SAW’s strategic objectives include flagship research programs addressing “big issues” such as climate change, water efficiency and grapevine breeding; the generation of industry-relevant scientific knowledge; innovation and research business ventures; a blockchain ecosystem development; a holistic, sustainability strategy for South Africa Wine; knowledge transfer and industry engagement; and international partnerships. The objectives of SAW’s knowledge transfer and industry engagement activities are to serve as a knowledge reservoir for industry practitioners, to create awareness of the latest viticulture and oenology-related scientific findings locally and internationally to stimulate innovative ideas amongst practitioners, to promote knowledge exchange between academic researchers and industry and to understand if specific industry information ‘needs’ require more research (information is unknown) or a knowledge transfer action (information is already known). SAW will actively participate in training activities and host five DCs for secondment.
14.-PARSEC-SRL-(PARSEC-SRL)
PARSEC SRL has created several experimental wineries for research institutes and universities and owns the experimental winery “Cantina Tuscania”, one of the largest and best equipped in the world. The R&D section of PARSEC/CANTINA TUSCANIA is headed by Engineer Giuseppe Floridia, CEO and shareholder of PARSEC, and is formed by four senior engineers and three oenologists. PARSEC invents and integrates new technology to improve control in the wine industry (dissolved gas, temperature, maceration, kinetic fermentation, etc.). PARSEC SRL will actively participate in training activities and host four DCs for secondment.
15.-VIVAI-COOPERATIVI-RAUSCEDO-SOCIETA-COOPERATIVA-AGRICOLA-(VCR)
VCR is a cooperative nursery founded in 1933 and settled in North-eastern Italy. VCR is the world's leading company in the grafted-vine market. In 2018, VCR produced approximately 4600 rootstock/scion/clone combinations for 80 million grafted vines, sold in more than 30 countries. VCR has partner companies in France (VCR France), the United States (NovaVine), and Australia (Chalmers Nurseries) that produce and sell vines from VCR clones across continents. In 1967, VCR established an experimental farm and a cellar to evaluate the oenological potential of clones, with a capacity of more than 800 micro-vinifications. In 2019, VCR founded the new VCR Research Center with eight state-of-the-art laboratories to support research, diagnostic, and micropropagation activities. VCR will actively participate in training activities and host three DCs for secondment.
16.-SICAREX-BEAUJOLAIS-S.A.S.–-CHÂTEAU-DE-L’ÉCLAIR-(SIC)
The SIC conducts wine production and oenology experiments to prepare for the future of the Beaujolais vineyard, emphasising quality, environmental protection, and consumer health. Since 1980, supported by Beaujolais winemakers, SIC owns the Château de l'Eclair Estate. This estate, spanning 20 hectares of vineyard, produces 1000 hectoliters of wine annually, including white, rosé, red, and sparkling wines, and markets 50000 bottles per year (Beaujolais and Burgundy AOP). The wine is crafted and aged in stainless steel and oak barrels before bottling at the Château de l’Eclair winery. Château de l’Eclair wines are sold in France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Japan. SIC actively participates in training activities.
17.-AZIENDA-AGRICOLA-FERGHETTINA-(FER)
FER is in the well-known Franciacorta area (Lombardy), running 200 hectares of vineyards in 11 municipalities of Franciacorta, conforming to organic farming principles. FER’s main aim is to invest resources in quality and research: that’s why the production choice has been to increase the refining period of the wine in yeast and improve the quality of vinification techniques. For this reason, in 2016, the winery extension works started. A new building adjoining the cellar was realised, holding respect for the territory in high regard, merging function and beauty. Works were completed in August 2018, right in time for the new harvest. In the new location, a significant part of the activities is focused on reception, which has always been one of FER’s strong points. The building hosts a large and enchanting tasting room. Thanks to the “square” shape of the bottles used at FER, Franciacorta sparkling wines aged on yeast can benefit from a wine-to-yeast contact surface two and a half times greater than that of a round bottle. The side of the bottle is flat inside, making the yeast deposit surface larger. FER produces eight labels of DOCG Franciacorta sparkling wines (Champenoise method) and two labels of DOC Curtefranca (red and white). FER will actively take part in training activities.
18.-WINE-COMPANY-SHUMI-LTD-(SHU)
SHU is a commercial winery and one of Georgia's leading wineries. It is in the Kakheti wine region, the leading wine-making province of Georgia. The winery has more than 300 ha of vineyards in various PDOs inside the country. It produces different styles of wines based on European classical types and by traditional Georgian way in clay vessels named “Qvevri”. The company also produces grape brandy and grappa. Most wines are made with Georgian indigenous varieties Rkatsiteli, Saperavi, Khikhvi, Kisi, and Mtsvane Kakhuri, but some international varieties are also used. Spontaneous fermentations are used in Qvevri, allowing to make “amber/orange wine”. The Company established a vine and wine museum, a field collection with Georgian indigenous and European varieties, an ethnographic corner, and an exhibition hall, demonstrating ancient ways of viticulture and winemaking in Georgia. The winery holds a wine laboratory for the oenological evaluation of its wines. The Eco2Wine team of SHUMI is coordinated by the company's director, Mr Akaki Tsopurashvili, who has long experience leading the company. The SHUMI team includes Ms Nino Zaridze (development management), leading grape collection, and Mr Giorgi Khatiashvili (principal winemaker). SHU will actively take part in training activities.
19.-IZIDOR-PETRIC-(Petric-winery)
The rich tradition of grape growing and winemaking by the Petrič family dates to 1778. Today, Urban Petrič, the eighth generation of winemakers, owns nine vineyards that stretch over eight hectares of land. The vineyards are located on the southern slopes of the Vipava valley around the village of Slap, on the border between Mediterranean and continental climates. In summer, a gentle wind helps dry the morning dew. Because of this, Petrič Winery can produce healthy grapes and “natural” wines. Traditional winemaking passed on from generation to generation is combined with new technologies to achieve top-quality wines. The Petrič family follows an environmentally friendly way of growing grapes, using less spraying and natural fertilisers. They produce ten different varieties of wine, 70% white and 30% red, including wines from local indigenous grape varieties, Zelen and Pinela. Petric Winery will actively take part in training activities.
20.-REYNEKE-WINERY-(Reyneke-Winery)
Reyneke Winery is a commercial wine farm and wine cellar in the Stellenbosch region of the Western Cape, South Africa. The viticultural and cellar practices follow environmentally sustainable practices, including certified biodynamic vineyards. The company has played a prominent and leading role in promoting and implementing environmental sustainability as a key driver for future development within the South African wine industry. Reyneke Winery will actively take part in training activities.