A Review of Sensors for the Monitoring, Modeling, and Control of Commercial Wine Fermentations

Large-scale commercial wine fermentation requires the monitoring and control of multiple variables to achieve optimal results. Challenges in measurement arise from turbidity, stratification in large unmixed volumes, the presence of grape skins and solids during red wine fermentations, the small chan...

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Main Authors: Roger Boulton, James Nelson, André Knoesen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Fermentation
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2311-5637/11/6/329
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author Roger Boulton
James Nelson
André Knoesen
author_facet Roger Boulton
James Nelson
André Knoesen
author_sort Roger Boulton
collection DOAJ
description Large-scale commercial wine fermentation requires the monitoring and control of multiple variables to achieve optimal results. Challenges in measurement arise from turbidity, stratification in large unmixed volumes, the presence of grape skins and solids during red wine fermentations, the small changes in variables that necessitate precise sensors, and the unique composition of each juice, which makes every fermentation distinct. These complications contribute to nonlinear and time-variant characteristics for most control variables. This paper reviews sensors, particularly online ones, utilized in commercial winemaking. It examines the measurement of solution properties (density, weight, volume, osmotic pressure, dielectric constant, and refractive index), sugar consumption, ethanol and glycerol production, redox potential, cell mass, and cell viability during wine fermentation and their relevance as variables that could enhance the estimation of parameters in diagnostic and predictive wine fermentation models. Various methods are compared based on sensitivity, availability of sensor systems, and their appropriateness for measuring properties in large commercial wine fermentations. Additionally, factors influencing the adoption of control strategies are discussed. Finally, potential opportunities for control strategies and challenges for future sensor developments are outlined.
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spelling doaj-art-babcdd59fa4a45ba8f6efb1a4b2572e62025-08-20T02:20:57ZengMDPI AGFermentation2311-56372025-06-0111632910.3390/fermentation11060329A Review of Sensors for the Monitoring, Modeling, and Control of Commercial Wine FermentationsRoger Boulton0James Nelson1André Knoesen2Department of Viticulture and Enology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USADepartment of Viticulture and Enology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USADepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USALarge-scale commercial wine fermentation requires the monitoring and control of multiple variables to achieve optimal results. Challenges in measurement arise from turbidity, stratification in large unmixed volumes, the presence of grape skins and solids during red wine fermentations, the small changes in variables that necessitate precise sensors, and the unique composition of each juice, which makes every fermentation distinct. These complications contribute to nonlinear and time-variant characteristics for most control variables. This paper reviews sensors, particularly online ones, utilized in commercial winemaking. It examines the measurement of solution properties (density, weight, volume, osmotic pressure, dielectric constant, and refractive index), sugar consumption, ethanol and glycerol production, redox potential, cell mass, and cell viability during wine fermentation and their relevance as variables that could enhance the estimation of parameters in diagnostic and predictive wine fermentation models. Various methods are compared based on sensitivity, availability of sensor systems, and their appropriateness for measuring properties in large commercial wine fermentations. Additionally, factors influencing the adoption of control strategies are discussed. Finally, potential opportunities for control strategies and challenges for future sensor developments are outlined.https://www.mdpi.com/2311-5637/11/6/329densityweight lossredox potentialtemperaturewine fermentation
spellingShingle Roger Boulton
James Nelson
André Knoesen
A Review of Sensors for the Monitoring, Modeling, and Control of Commercial Wine Fermentations
Fermentation
density
weight loss
redox potential
temperature
wine fermentation
title A Review of Sensors for the Monitoring, Modeling, and Control of Commercial Wine Fermentations
title_full A Review of Sensors for the Monitoring, Modeling, and Control of Commercial Wine Fermentations
title_fullStr A Review of Sensors for the Monitoring, Modeling, and Control of Commercial Wine Fermentations
title_full_unstemmed A Review of Sensors for the Monitoring, Modeling, and Control of Commercial Wine Fermentations
title_short A Review of Sensors for the Monitoring, Modeling, and Control of Commercial Wine Fermentations
title_sort review of sensors for the monitoring modeling and control of commercial wine fermentations
topic density
weight loss
redox potential
temperature
wine fermentation
url https://www.mdpi.com/2311-5637/11/6/329
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