An experimental co-fermented Rosé trial undertaken at the Bragato Research Winery was successfully developed into a commercial wine launched into the Australian market in 2021.
In 2020, Constellation Brands’ research and development team sought to explore new and unique wine territories. Frank Benkwitz, Constellation’s Head of Laboratories, Research and Development in Marlborough, says the Constellation team is constantly looking at new trends and focusing on innovative products that align with key factors, including evolving consumer preferences, moderation, sustainability, packaging, and natural flavours. “From that came the idea of adding super fruits to improve aromas, and the idea of co-fermenting and blending other (non-grape) fruit with grapes to create wine.”
Constellation’s quest to create a desired sensory experience fits with the Research Winery’s capabilities. In early 2021, the company commissioned BRI’s expertise to find a way to co-ferment Pinot Noir grapes with pomegranates and strawberries that could be feasible on a larger commercial scale.
BRI and Constellation experimented with different co-fermenting options, such as using locally sourced fresh fruit, pureed fruit, and frozen fruit. On a commercial scale, the amount of fresh fruit required was not viable and would be difficult for cellar hands. The best results were from using both frozen fruit and frozen grapes. This gave the added benefit of being able to make the wines outside the traditional vintage period.
“In July we had our first co-ferments using frozen grapes and frozen fruits and this provided a superior result,” said Frank. “I made a recommendation to colleagues in the USA to further explore the fruit and wine combination, and in 2021 a small range of wines were produced in Australia.”
The Superstate Rosé trial at the Bragato Research Winery was successful and demonstrated to Constellation business managers that this was territory worth pursuing, with the main outcome being to improve and enhance flavour, according to Frank. “Working with Bragato meant we could keep innovating, accelerate the commercial potential and work outside of harvest.”
The co-fermented Rosé trial was developed into a new wine brand called Superstate, which launched into the Australian market in late 2021.
Frank describes the Bragato Research Winery as a sandbox for winemaking innovation, saying if projects were successful in New Zealand, Constellation would scale them up to meet their USA markets. Any trial in New Zealand played an important part in the innovation and growth of Constellation’s global business and BRI had played a significant role in that.
Dr Tanya Rutan, research winery manager, said BRI was proving to be an outstanding success for the industry, with state-of-the-art facilities on an international scale. Being involved in trials, such as the development of Constellation’s Superstate Rosé, was exciting and innovative, she said.
Funding from the MBIE Regional Research Institutes (RRI) initiative contributed to the purpose-built BRI Research Winery that opened in February 2020. The Research Winery facilities and expertise enables industry to access research winemaking at a scale and degree of experimental control not previously possible in New Zealand. Before the Bragato Research Winery opened, the industry could not access independent winery trials domestically. While wineries can run in-house trials, they are time-consuming, take up commercial space and require a level of scientific expertise not always accessible.
The Bragato Research Winery elevates the standard of wine science excellence in New Zealand. The purpose-built facilities make it possible for BRI to offer customised science services that fill research gaps and provide winemakers with access to expertise.
Tailored to client needs, the Research Winery can conduct rigorous trials free from the variables clients may have trouble minimising if they were to attempt similar research in-house. The Research Winery includes custom fermentation tanks that can hold 200 litres and be used for either a single fermentation or have four 17-litre tanks to house four individual fermentations, all controlled under the same conditions. Research Winery Manager Dr Tanya Rutan is on hand to interpret results for clients and assist with their real-world application.
The value of the Bragato Research Winery for innovation in the New Zealand wine industry is vast. The purpose-built facilities allow winemakers to innovate and trial new ideas in a controlled environment, encouraging innovation and diversification options, whilst removing the risk and cost of trialling ideas in a commercial winery. The Research Winery has the scientific rigour behind trials to allow winemakers to scale and commercialise with confidence.
