BESTBRANDY

The Spanish Centre for Industrial Technological Development (CDTI) has endorsed the financing of R&D project BESTBRANDY: "Factors influencing the quality of brandy and new systems to make it, from the vineyard to packaging", under the ERDF Innterconecta programme. The BESTBRANDY project has been given the second highest rating of the 59 files endorsed by CDTI’s Innterconecta programme, whose main aim is to finance large national projects of experimental development in the format of public-private cooperation. The goal of this initiative –with more than 2.5 million euros invested in it– is the revalorisation of brandy through the introduction of technological innovations in the management of vineyards, the oenological processes and the final aging in wood of the product to create a singular and differentiated old-new spirit, since brandy is enjoying a growing international demand. The project contemplates the execution of studies to design new strategies in the vine cultivation management, as well as the assessment of new varieties of grapes with better properties for the distillation of spirits and wines. Simultaneously, it will provide for the development of new vinification and distillation systems for the making of brandy, based on the use of high-yield alcohol yeasts. In addition, the project will allow the study of those factors having an impact on the aging stage, the final treatments and the packaging of quality brandies, from which new aromatic profiles may be obtained. The BESTBRANDY Initiative is led by a national public-private partnership made up of four business partners. It is promoted by Bodega González Byass Jerez; the other partners being Bodega Las Copas, Bodegas Fundador and Agrovin, a manufacturer of products for winemaking and machinery for wineries. In addition, five national research groups are involved in the project. In total, 9 entities from 5 different autonomous communities have joined the initiative and provided Spanish top researchers from the following institutions: The University of Cadiz, the Polytechnic University of Madrid, the Technological Institute of Packaging, ITENE Transport and Logistics, the IFAPA Institute for Agrarian and Fisheries Research and Training, and CEBAS-CSIC Center for Applied Biology and Edaphology of Segura. The execution of the BESTBRANDY project will create 9 direct and 6 indirect jobs and incorporate 42 professionals in the sector –15 of which are women– into a multidisciplinary task force. It is expected to mobilise a global induced investment that will exceed 6,800,000 euros in the 2019-2020 period.   About the BESTBRANDY project BESTBRANDY is a joint project of experimental development which seeks to develop new brandies by introducing technological innovations in the vineyard management, the processes of winemaking and the aging in wood of the product. The goal is to obtain a different alcoholic beverage, with new aromatic profiles, capable of meeting the growing international consumer demand for this type of spirituous drinks. The consortium is made up of four companies: Winery González Byass Jerez, Winery Las Copas, Wineries Fundador and Agrovin, together with five outstanding national institutions and universities in the field of Spanish wine and winemaking R&D. The project has an overall budget of €2,549,730, is funded through the CDTI with ERDF funds from the European Union and will run for 30 months, until December 2018.