WinePro 2026: Technology, Innovation and Solutions for New Zealand Wine
WinePro is one of the few moments in the year where the whole industry stops and looks forward, says Agovor co-founder Richard Beaumont.
"Winemakers want to see proven results before adopting something new, and that's been our experience both locally and globally," says amaea's Chief Technical Officer. "What we've found is that once winemakers see the impact in their own wines, adoption follows."
Molecular filtration gives winemakers a high level of precision and control in managing pyrazines, phenolics, and certain off-aromas, "enabling them to target specific compounds while preserving desirable characters", says Aaron, who will be joined at the WinePro session by winemakers Dean Boyce from Indevin and Jane de Witt from LION, along with Christian Kuun, South Island manager at Vintech Pacific.
Addressing Sustainability and Cost Pressures
Aaron, a chemical and materials engineer, says technology will play a critical role in helping New Zealand wine maintain its global position, particularly as producers face increasing cost pressures, additive regulations and sustainability expectations.
"The opportunity isn't about changing how wine is made at its core, but about giving winemakers better tools to produce higher-quality wine, more efficiently and sustainably, especially in more challenging vintages."
New Continuous Cold Stabilisation Technology Unveiled
As well as molecular filtration, he will use WinePro to introduce amaea's new continuous cold stabilisation technology.
"Traditionally, cold stabilisation can take seven to 14 days. CSx reduces that to as little as five minutes, while also significantly lowering energy use and emissions," he says.
"Molecular filtration removes the need for seeding with cream of tartare to achieve cold stability, reducing both chemical costs and waste for wineries."
Aaron says introducing innovative technology to an ancient industry is one of the most interesting aspects of his work.
“Winemaking has always been a balance of tradition, science and artistry, all coming together to create a sensory product. While the fundamentals haven’t changed for centuries, the tools winemakers use have continually evolved to improve quality, yields, and efficiency. Molecularly imprinted polymers are simply one of the next steps in that evolution.”
