In this period, the advances applied to artificial intelligence and adaptation to climate change stand out.

Viña Concha y Toro’s Centre for Research and Innovation (CRI) is celebrating its tenth anniversary as a benchmark in the global wine industry, with a focus on applied science, technology and sustainability.

This centre was conceived in 2014 as a space open to the R+D+i ecosystem, bringing together more than 35 researchers and professionals, including 9 PhDs, to address the most complex and challenging challenges of the current and future wine industry.

Throughout these 10 years, the company’s commitment to innovation has been focused on ensuring the sustainability of our soils and processes. ‘Faced with the challenges we face, we must adapt and evolve. Always thinking in the long term, our industry cannot achieve this without innovation. For Viña Concha y Toro, innovation is a fundamental pillar of our business model, as we understand that only through research, technology and creativity can we face the challenges of the future and continue to lead the wine industry in a sustainable and responsible way,’ says Eduardo Guilisasti, CEO of Viña Concha y Toro.

The CRI is committed to research in key areas for the wine industry, such as biotechnology for the development of more resistant, adapted and virus-free 2.0 plants; artificial intelligence to optimise processes and enhance the quality of Viña Concha y Toro’s products; and the study of social and consumer sciences to better understand market trends and customer preferences.

‘In these 10 years, we have transformed challenges into opportunities to continue leading innovation in the sector, always with the objective of transcending in the new world of wine. We are convinced that science and technology will be the keys to guarantee a more sustainable, healthy and prosperous future for both wine and the planet,’ adds Álvaro González, Director of the CRI.

Located in the heart of the Maule Valley, the CRI has an Agricultural and Winemaking Laboratory, a Molecular Biology Laboratory, an Experimental Winery and an Extension Centre. Each area, which is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, contributes to the goal of making the wine industry more efficient and competitive. The company’s annual R+D investment amounts to USD$3 million.

Ten years of applied innovation

Throughout this decade, the Research and Innovation Centre has led several high-impact projects that have been milestones in the wine industry. Some of the most emblematic projects include:

• Smart Irrigation App developed by the CRI that allows winegrowers to receive real-time information on leaf evapotranspiration, soil moisture and weather forecasts, facilitating decision-making to irrigate more efficiently. Thanks to this tool, an average water saving of 18% has been achieved.
• Plants 2.0: Through innovations in biotechnology, the CRI has developed more resilient plants that are longer-lived and better prepared to face the effects of climate change. This project has made it possible to create vines free of viruses and wood fungi, guaranteeing the health of the crops without affecting the identity and quality of each variety, resulting in greater efficiency and quality in wine production.
• Digital Platforms and AI Models: The CRI has created advanced digital platforms to monitor key vineyard parameters, combined with artificial intelligence models to make better production decisions. These platforms provide real-time information using satellites to predict harvest volume and micro-meteorological stations to anticipate grape quality, thus improving decision-making accuracy and ensuring the quality of the final product.
• Diablo Wine: In 2015, the CRI began using advanced chemical-sensory analysis capabilities to measure key parameters such as polyphenols and aromas. With these new sensory analysis methodologies and consumer research, wines in the ‘radical reds’ category were born, which enabled the development of Diablo Wine. This wine is a clear example of how science and innovation merge to create revolutionary products that are successful in different markets.