This project has been funded through the call for Aid for demonstration activities in technology transfer of the Rural Development Program of Catalonia 2014-2022 (PDR 2014-2022), of the Department of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda of the Generalitat de Catalunya.

Lees are defined as wastes generated during the fermentation and aging process in winemaking activities involving alcoholic beverages such as wine. They have a heterogeneous composition and represent about 6% of the by-products generated for each ton of grapes processed. Therefore, of the approximately 415 million kg of grapes harvested in Catalonia in the 2021 campaign (source: INCAVI-RVC), almost 25 million kg correspond to lees. However, it is the least researched by-product of all winemaking processes. The CMO (Common Market Organization) with the regulations affecting the disposal of by-products (Order AAM/272/2013. DOGC no. 6494 - 05/11/2013) dictates that at least 10% of the amount produced must be destined for distillation, and in wineries with less than 40,000 kg, controlled removal for composting or animal feed can be carried out. The activity proposed in this project is to demonstrate that the lees can be revalued and recycled to be a nutritional supplement for the alcoholic fermentation processes of wines and sparkling wines, making the winemaking sector more sustainable in environmental and economic aspects.

https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/common-agricultural-policy/rural-development_en