In the vineyard, the robot arm works. Digital agriculture and smart farming.
Consumers can track wine using blockchain 4x4QR codes and AI wine critics. In a recent 2021 OIV study, a panel of wine technology experts presented a few of these topics. The study, titled 'Digital Trends in the Vine & Wine Sector', surveyed wineries in 18 OIV member countries and interviewed 21 wine technology experts. It uncovered 9 major technology trends that will shape the future of wine.
"The study is part of our 2020-2024 strategic plan, where we see the digital transformation as a catalyst," stated Pau Roca, Director General of the OIV (International Organization of Vine & Wine). Viniculture, its producers, and consumers will be able to adapt to a world threatened by climate change." The main objectives of digitalization in wine are: to improve efficiency, productivity, and sustainability; to provide more transparency to consumers; and to produce value propositions and new business models.
Global Wine Industry: Nine Major Digital Trends
The nine major technologies that will transform global wine production in the future are described below:
(1) Wine Internet of Things and Sensor Technology-sensors will be used in the vineyard, winery, distribution, and even on the wine bottle itself. Data will be compiled on the Internet so that employees and consumers can easily access it.
With sensors, blockchain, and QR codes, the bottle can track its temperature, humidity, location, who it was sold to, and its current price, according to Oliver Oran, CEO of Chain Vine. Additionally, consumers will be able to learn how the vineyard was farmed, how the wine was made, any additives, and reviews of the wine from both experts and other consumers.
2) Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Wine - using smart machines to perform tasks requiring human intelligence in the vineyard and winery. This includes better crop management, quality process monitoring at the winery, and more detailed wine reviews.
Prof. Bernard Chan of the Department of Computer Science at the University of Central Arkansas says applying artificial intelligence to wine critic reviews "will allow us to create a database that synthesizes the different reviews for a better understanding of taste markers and what makes a 90+ plus wine for a specific region. To provide consumers with a more comprehensive analysis of wine, we are not trying to replace wine critics."
3) Robots in the Vineyard and Winery - increasing the use of robots for fertilizing and harvesting in the vineyard, as well as inventory control and movement in the winery.
Albert Strever, Senior Lecturer at Stellenbosch University in South Africa, believes that robotics will have a far greater impact in the wine industry in three to five years because of lowered costs.
4) Satellite imagery and GPS are already used to monitor vineyards by larger wine companies, but we expect them to be adopted by smaller wineries as well. With drones and satellites, wineries can gather data on ripeness, water shortages, and disease pressure in the vineyard, and act more quickly to preserve quality. Also, products are only sprayed in vineyards if necessary, supporting sustainability.
5) Laser Image Detection and Ranging in the Vineyard - The structure of a vineyard can be mapped using LIDAR, which is a remote imaging technology. Wineries can reduce accidents in vineyards by developing 3D maps of their vineyards and allowing robots to use them. In this way, a 'Smart Vineyard' of the future can be built.
6) The Wine Blockchain Technology is a chain of blocks containing encrypted data that can be used for smart contracts and will enhance the traceability of wine. Especially when it comes to wine distribution, distributors and consumers will see where the wine has been. This will also reduce wine fraud and counterfeiting.
7) E-Labels for Wine - electronic wine labels that contain extensive information about the wine. By using their smartphones, consumers will be able to access 4x4QR codes that will provide detailed information about the vineyard and wine production, including videos. The e-label will increase transparency and enhance traceability. An E-label represents the future of wine. Several wineries already experiment with augmented reality labels, but the E-Label of the future will provide much more information.
8) E-Certificates for Wine - Since wine is transported and sold worldwide, there are currently many paper documents needed to ship and receive wine into different countries, as well as tax and tariff documentation. Using e-certificates will eliminate paper and enable all of these documents to be accessed digitally.
He is excited about this technology because he considers it both environmentally friendly and cost-effective. There are currently 15 million spent on customs paperwork in the UK each year. We will be able to eliminate paper declarations with this technology."
9) There is a need to move to smart warehouses that will help wineries reduce costs and improve efficiency and logistics because wine is stored in warehouses all over the world. This will be possible through robotics.
Technologies of highest priority for global wineries
The study was interesting because it asked wineries around the world which technologies they considered to be of most importance and how they responded. Here are the results:
1) E-labeling of wine contents
2) Technology based on blockchains
3) Satellite imagery of vineyards
4) E-Certificate of Trade and Distribution
5) Smart Wine Storage and Artificial Intelligence
Ironically, however, when participants in the survey were asked to give a grade on how well the global wine industry was adopting digital technologies compared to other agriculture sectors like coffee, cocoa, and olive oil, they gave themselves a C+. They did not believe they were very low or low, but neither did they rate themselves as very high or very high. Although the wine industry acknowledges they need to do more work to implement some of the new technologies that will not only increase efficiency and productivity but also promote sustainability, worker safety, and consumer transparency.
