VINSEED · Valorized Infused Roasted Grape Seeds for Sustainable Wine Aging

Wine aging traditionally depends on oak, a practice that influences wine flavor but raises economic and environmental concerns and increasingly conflicts with market trends for fresher, fruit-forward styles. This project proposes a circular, industry-relevant alternative: valorizing roasted grape seeds—an abundant winemaking by-product—as a natural aging technique capable of imparting desirable aromatic and structural qualities while reducing reliance on natural or synthetic aging materials. In particular, the research aims to achieve three interconnected objectives: (O1) develop and optimize reproducible roasting protocols for seeds originating from various Bordeaux grape varieties and terroirs; (O2) thoroughly characterize the chemical and sensory effects of seed-aged wines using GC and LC methodologies for volatile and phenolic profiling, respectively, along with GC-O, aromatic reconstitution, antioxidant assays, and trained panels; (O3) compare perceptual and compositional results with barrel-aged and chip-infused wines employing multivariate analyses. The experimental work will include controlled laboratory roasting, neutral-tank infused trials under defined contact ratios and times, chemical analysis, and sensory evaluations by both expert and consumer panels. Methodologically rigorous and interdisciplinary, the project advances beyond the current state of the art by applying thermal-processing science and high-resolution chemical–sensory integration to a novel matrix while redefining a vinification waste stream. The fellowship provides the researcher with training and skills in volatile profiling, GC-O, polyphenol analysis, sensory design, perceptive interaction, and chemometrics, thereby increasing academic independence and leadership, and strengthening industry relevance and employability. Outcomes will include open, FAIR datasets, peer-reviewed publications, and practical, validated protocols that support sustainable innovation in the wine sector.