The quest to improve the quality of wines has become a priority: vine and wine producers are performing increasing numbers of checks and controls on the maturity of their plots, with a view to defining as precisely as possible the quality of the harvest, and thus the most suitable date for it to be carried out.

This new tool is an autonomous, compact, light, portable and ergonomic spectrometer. Geo-located, it is designed to monitor the maturity of grapes in the plot by way of instantaneous, non-destructive measurements, coupled with software capable of modelling the maturity kinetics and predicting the most suitable date for the harvest.
Having passed through the grapes, the light is modified based on the molecules encountered towards the centre of the device. Following diffusion, homogenization and optical spectral filtering at carefully chosen wavelengths, the "filtered" light streams reach the photodiodes, which transform the light-based information into analogue signals. These signals are then converted by a main circuit board equipped with a micro-controller that runs the software for processing the data and allowing for the quantification, based on a dedicated algorithm, of the various elements that characterize the maturity of the sample (anthocyanins, sugar, acidity, water content). A colour graphics screen enables the results obtained to be easily read off.

The value of the final measurement, as well as the average for the plot, are displayed. This accessibly priced tool revolutionizes the monitoring of maturity and improves the quality of inputs into the cellar by ensuring that plots are harvested at the desired degree of maturity.