The next generation of wine & spirits tech is ripe for funding

Ageing wine and spirits in oak is a huge part of the tradition of wine and spirit making. New Zealand’s Accuro has developed a portable micro-oxygenation device that enables winemakers and distillers to take control of their maturation.

Founded in 2014 as Wine Grenade, the Auckland-based business of late rebranded as it started expanding into the spirits trade with its patented oxygen diffusion process, which allows wine and spirits to be matured in stainless steel tanks rather than in oak barrels. Fully operational straight out of the box, the device and process markedly reduce costs as well as providing greater control than oak; and despite the weight of that tradition, the product is gaining ground in winemaking regions all over the world.

The oak that wines and spirits traditionally mature in is permeable and the process is simply a slow exchange of oxygen. It is, that said, a somewhat uncontrolled process with huge variation between barrels; winemakers. Distillers can really only control the amount of time their product spends in the barrel and the age of the barrels they choose to use.

By integrating the oak component more quickly and in a more uniform way, wineries. Distilleries can bring their product to marketplace more quickly without compromise.” He adds: “Time is a fire we burn – so why wait for good wine or whiskey?” Is sustainability reporting ready for its Xero moment? This means we can now service any winery in the world, regardless of its size, its production –. We can now do every stage of production, which is a testament to the hard work of our engineering team.” Accuro has sold its product into Spain and has beachheads in southern France, Canada, Mexico, and Paraguay – and it has a newly signed leading distributor in the US.

Now Accuro is seeking to raise a $2 million backing round from interested backers. “Now that we’ve released some new products. Are getting more sales under our belt, Accuro will be looking to raise capital in New Zealand and Australia, as that’s our investor base from before,” Eltom explains. “That capital will deepen our knowledge and further develop our fermentation sensors. We’re as well looking to further develop the spirits maturation piece that we’re rolling out at the moment.” “The perfect investor would be somebody who believes deeply in what we do because we’re trying to change the world in our small way,” he adds. “The bonus trait would be somebody who can help fill the gaps in the team or in the business. And if you’re using older oak, it doesn’t matter how good your cleaning regime – oak is a natural material and over time the wood grain starts to harbor bacteria and undesirable kinds of yeasts, which can all affect the finished product.” According to Bryn, a 50,000-liter tank using Accuro costs $2,500 a year to run including labor, oxygen cylinders, Accuro subscription, and wine shortfall.

The labor of emptying, washing, and refilling those 166 barrels, plus the evaporation loss, would cost $12,420 a year. And that’s without including costs such as running the forklifts for lifting the barrels, energy, barrel maintenance, and water. “To wash 166 barrels three times takes around 45,000 liters of water.

We run at least 300,000 liters of wine annually using Accuro so we’re saving around 270,000 liters of water,” Bryn explains. Wine is steeped in tradition, it’s a distillation of sunshine, soil, and rain in a glass, and any new technique ultimately has to pass the taste test for wine drinkers.

Eltom believes Accuro’s oxygenation technology offers a marked boost to drinkability. “I don’t want to get too wine-chemistry-geeky here but think of a red wine that’s got that bite, those harsh tannins, the color is a bit pal,e and it’s a bit grippy on the sides and back of the palate. By integrating oxygen and oak, the wine mellows, stabilizes the color, and you can feel it glide over your tongue.

Tom Dixon, winemaker of Villa Maria Wines in the heart of New Zealand’s Marlborough region, agrees that the technology is a valuable tool. “It has delivered great results with cleaning up reduction and softening the palate. The versatility and ease of use has been very impressive, and it has proved to be useful in all steps of the winemaking process from primary fermentation of white wines to maturation of our reds,” he states.

Accuro — then Wine Grenade — featured as a participant in the 2019 evoke AG. Startup Program is designed to build the capacity of startups in the global agrifoodtech ecosystem. Provides a platform for founders to share their stories, and showcase their agritech solutions for global agricultural challenges.