In this edition, we discuss VITEC, the Wine Technology Park located in Falset. The park is one of knowledge structures of Universitat Rovira i Virgili and has become in leading player in the international wine sector

In this section, we present those areas of Southern Catalonia that are good examples of the configuration of the territory as a knowledge region. We present economic, social, cultural and natural spaces whose peculiarities and characteristics together constitute a social model based on knowledge, the objective of which is to help improve the quality of life of citizens living in the region.

VITEC is the Wine Technology Park located in Falset (Tarragona). It was created in 2009 out of a project initiated in 2005 by the Universitat Rovira i Virgili, the wine sector and various local administrations. Specifically, its creation arose from the need to provide a reference space for research and technological innovation in the wine sector and industry. The centre offers advisory services and technical assistance, as well as analytical and sensory analysis services and experimental winery services for the assessment of new processes and products. [1]

At the heart of the project is the VITEC Foundation, which runs the centre and is made up of other research institutes and regulatory boards. These include the Catalan Vine and Wine Institute (INNOVI), the Institute of Agri-Food Research and Technology (IRTA) and the Catalan Cork Institute.

R+D+I

The generation of knowledge from research activities has a positive impact on the industrial fabric and benefits and feeds into the innovative challenges posed by a highly competitive market. In this regard, VITEC is an important institution for wineries, regulatory councils and experts, whose production processes benefit from its research and knowledge generation.

VITEC’s five main areas of R+D+I are viticulture, oenology, oenological chemistry, microbiology and sensory analysis.

The park’s success is reflected in its figures. Since its inauguration and up to 2016, it has been the benchmark for more than 400 companies in the sector, it has received 15.5 million euros of private investment, 29 R+D+I projects have been won (with VITEC leading two of them at European level) and more than 5,600,000 euros have been invested in the generation of wine knowledge.[2]

Facilities

The facilities are located in area of 1,200 m² equipped with different laboratories, experimental wineries and wine tasting spaces.

One of the most interesting laboratories is the viticulture laboratory, which provides support services and carries out field work. Its technologies and infrastructures are used to analyse land and vines with the aim of determining the nutritional state of the plant and setting up irrigation systems and fertilizers.[3] Also important are the oenology laboratory and microbiology laboratory, the latter being dedicated to the microbiological quality of wine.

Furthermore, the experimental winery cellar is also a fundamental facility that reinforces the principal aims of the centre by providing technical guidance to oenologists and wineries through pilot tests of new technologies, processes and winery products. [4]

In conclusion, VITEC is one of the most important knowledge structures in the Southern Catalonia Region because of its relation to the knowledge economy and society.

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[1] This information has been checked on-line. See: http://vitec.wine/el-centro/ [Last consultation: 09/10/2017]

[2] This information has been checked online. See: http://vitec.wine/cifras/ [Last consultation: 09/10/2017]

[3] This information has been checked online. See: http://vitec.wine/laboratorio-de-viticultura/ [Last consultation: 09/10/2017]

[4] This information has been checked online. See: http://vitec.wine/bodega-experimental/ [Last consultation: 09/10/2017]