Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The adoption of Sambucus as a constituent of regionally produced wines is within reach, but relies on standardization of cultivation practices tailored to superior varieties developed for use within the Florida wine-making industry. Logistical limitations have long reduced the domestic elder crop's commercial viability due to global competition, with the unfortunate result being that the elder used in most markets within the US is routinely imported from Europe along with particular problems in purity and potency. This project offers in-depth research on the creation of a viable domestic product to be consumed as a singular wine or as an ingredient of muscadine blends in a manner complementary to the existing wine industry of the Southeast.By combining the use of two plant species which grow readily in Florida's climate we will demonstrate the viability of sustainably grown Sambucus for the regional small farm community. Key to this success will be a firm understanding of the nutritional composition of the farm product in several potential forms post-processing. By documenting how the farm product's nutritional composition changes throughout conversion into wine we will illuminate the details for utilization of Sambucus by the regional wine industry. Already, muscadine wines have enjoyed considerable press in terms of the study of their health promoting compounds. This aspect of the viticultural and enological documentation of muscadine wines will be enhanced synergistically through the incorporation of Sambucus derived wine products. Our aim is to complement the existing wines of our region, not to compete directly, as there is plenty of potential market share to be addressed through a cooperative approach.Sambucus products and supplements have witnessed marked sales growth in recent years, with a five-fold increase to the tune of about $110 million from 2017 to 2019. The market opportunity in the Southeast is poised to catch up with national trends. Regional wine producers who want to use a quality, replicable product for both elder wines and as an additive in muscadine wines will benefit from this work. There are also home-winemaking enthusiasts who would potentially be in the market for an intermediary volume format of the base product.From the modern consumer's perspective, the project's direction aligns well with a desire for more responsibility from the businesses they chose to spend their money with. Consumers want to know where their food and drinks come from and how they were produced. This shift favors small, transparent, sustainability-focused farms. People have long consumed wine to capitalize on the health benefits it offers when imbibed in moderation. Over the past five years, consumers have begun to switch back to wines and away from beers as concerns regarding high carbohydrate and gluten consumption continue to grow. This trend seems to be particularly true of alcohol purchases made by a younger demographic. New and innovative flavors will also position the domestic industry as a whole to best compete with the growing Chinese wine market, as American and Chinese wine drinkers have helped to fuel a rise in New World wines, which are wines that are produced outside of the conventional production regions of Europe.
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
0%
Applied
100%
Developmental
0%
Goals / Objectives
The broadly defined project goal is to test the viability of Sambucus for use in the regional wine industry of Florida. Hyldemoer + Co., LLC will pursue this goal through three key objectives: 1) Evaluation of enological factors and vinification techniques to optimize elder winemaking processes; 2) Standardization of benchmarks for the nutraceutical value of the farm products before and after conversion to wine; 3) Development of outreach communications from documented organic cultivation and postharvest processing activities for the crop in Florida.
Project Methods
1) Establishment of 2 acres of organically cultivated Sambucus will be made in a total of approximately 90,000 sq ft of farm ground. Row preparation and planting activities will follow prior procedures developed by H+Co.2) Analysis of the beneficial healthy compound-content of the produce, including total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and total anthocyanin content (TAC) will be performed on raw material samples, musts and resulting wines.3) Enological research will encompass fermentation through blending and sensory analysis of the final wine products.