UBAVIDA is a Supra-autonomous Operational Group that aims to develop a new range of wines with lower alcohol content while maintaining their organoleptic properties. Through innovation and sustainability, processes will be optimized from the vineyard to the dealcoholization stage, responding to the sector’s need to produce high-quality dealcoholized wines.
The project explores the impact of climate change on grape ripening and studies techniques to reduce sugar content without affecting aromatic and polyphenolic compounds. Practices such as the application of kaolin to reduce thermal stress, the optimization of winemaking and aging processes, and the selection of specific microorganisms will be evaluated. Additionally, innovative dealcoholization methods and the use of oenological additives to improve the stability and quality of wines will be investigated.
The main objectives include the selection of grape varieties and agricultural techniques to reduce alcohol content, the optimization of the dealcoholization process while preserving wine properties, the comparison of sensory profiles, chemical and biological stability, and the evaluation of the bioactivity of non-alcoholic wines compared to traditional ones. Furthermore, bioactive phenolic metabolites will be analyzed through digestion simulations, and consumer acceptance of the product will be studied.
Expected outcomes include determining the optimal harvest time, a complete characterization of dealcoholized wines, a comparison of their polyphenolic and aromatic components with the original ones, the optimization of the dealcoholization process, and the identification of legal barriers to their production.
The UBAVIDA Operational Group is framed within the Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy (PEPAC) 2023-2027, financed 80% by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) of the European Union and 20% by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food (MAPA). The Directorate-General for Rural Development, Innovation, and Agri-Food Training (DGDRIFA) is the authority responsible for the implementation of these aids.
Total project budget: €607,342.27, Total subsidy: €599,741.95.
