The Internet of Vines: How IoT has Transformed Wine-Making Industries in the World

With automation slowly taking over the traditional ways of production across all industries, the wine-making industry has not been left behind.

13:57 04 October 2021

With automation slowly taking over the traditional ways of production across all industries, the wine-making industry has not been left behind. The Internet of Things is being integrated into agriculture all round, and in wine-making, it is being used to acquire different variables and to gain more insight into the production process.  

 

Vineyard owners are often looking into ways of improving the growing, brewing, and  bottling process in order to maximise profits. When you now see wine bottles all over catalogues like on the new offers this week at Morrisons or on GrapeBritannica online sales, know that a lot has gone into getting you the perfect sip. The process is so protracted, but what we can tell you is with the precision of IoT, it has been improved to give better tasting wine.

 

Let’s take a look at how IoT has transformed wine-making industries through the years.

 

Reduction of costs

One of the biggest challenges wine industries face is the cost it takes to produce the perfect wine. Annual crop loss due to plant diseases and pests has been estimated to be in the billions and the profits far less, all of which is devastating to any investor. Attempts with pesticides to control the calamities can cause more damage and plunge into more profound losses if the timing is off.

 

With the help of IoT, early warning systems such as Speaking Vineyard can predict and communicate the risk of diseases like Downy Mildew on an hourly basis. IoT sensors can detect a prospective attack on the fruit from as little as leaf wetness or soil moisture. With this information, farmers can maximise production and thus increase profits.

 

Irrigation in vineyards

Levels of water in a vine have proven to be an important factor that contributes to the maturation of the grapes. IoT sensors detect soil moisture and help growers understand which roots are taking more water, where irrigation needs to be intensified and also, to monitor the effect of rainfall. So through technology, vineyard owners can now leverage weather stations, soil sensors and drones to collect information for perfect execution and knowledge of irrigation.

  

Climate conditions in the vineyard 

The climate around a vineyard can help ensure the quality of grapes for the wine. Hypersensitive microclimate sensors can get an accurate reading of each vineyard zone on actual climate and sun exposure. This means winegrowers can move away from calendar-based predictions as IoT technology will collect environmental data such as temperatures, humidity, wind speed, and soil moisture, leading to the perfect climatic conditions for grapes to thrive. 

 

Improved quality of wine in cellars

IoT technology in wine cellars can help improve the quality of wine that is stored. As the wine ages, the sensors help to regulate temperature, light and humidity. Communication from the sensors detects when the temperature fluctuates. This helps make sure that oxidation of the wine is kept at its optimal point and maintains the quality of wine in check.

 

Just as important, the light in cellars must be kept at a minimum. Sensors also detect any slight change in light lumen levels, which all depends on the type of wine being stored. After any small change, the winery owners are instantly notified, and they can correct any changes before the wine is damaged.

 

Conclusion

IoT has made remarkable progress in agriculture, and in the vineyards, it has helped so much with improving the quality of the grapes, and ultimately, the wine we end up sipping in the comfort of our homes. From enabling farmers to monitor soil moisture and vine diseases, to alerting them when rainfall or irrigation is more than enough, technology is making the process less tedious and costly. We look forward to more ways of refining the process still with future tech, until it’s all flawless.