Development and Validation of an Automated Micro-vinification System for High-Throughput Wine Quality Research

The wine industry faces major challenges in conducting high-throughput trials due to resource-intensive traditional wine-making methods. In this study, an Arduino-controlled automated micro-vinification system developed for high-throughput wine research with 1.5 kg grape samples is presented and evaluated. The system incorporates CO₂-controlled automated cap management, precise temperature control (± 0.5 °C), and standardized procedures to improve reproducibility and reduce operating costs. In a comprehensive validation, the wines produced with the micro-vinification system were compared with those obtained with conventional mini-vinification (50 kg) and commercial-scale fermentation (40,000 kg) in terms of several quality parameters. The results showed that the wines produced in the micro-vinification system at optimal temperatures (24 °C and 28 °C) correlated closely with the chemical composition (especially phenolic profiles and color intensity) and sensory characteristics of the wines from the mini-vinification, while significant deviations were observed at 32 °C. This system provides a robust, scalable, and cost-effective platform for wine quality research and paves the way for expanded experimental capacity and improved reproducibility in oenological studies, especially for research institutions with limited resources.