SIMEI announces the 2026 Lucio Mastroberardino Innovation Challenge winners
The 2026 Lucio Mastroberardino Innovation Challenge named 4 Technology Innovation Award winners, 4 Green Innovation Award winners and 12 New Technology distinctions. Presentation was scheduled at SIMEI in Fiera Milano Rho on 17 November.
The Lucio Mastroberardino Innovation Challenge outlined trends expected at SIMEI, scheduled at Fiera Milano Rho from 17 to 20 November 2026: more artificial intelligence in automated wine and bottling processes, and safer, recyclable packaging that protects wine.2
The 2026 edition assigned 4 Technology Innovation Awards, 4 Green Innovation Awards and 12 New Technology distinctions. A committee of academics, technicians and user-company representatives assessed technical innovation, efficiency, sustainability, practicality, environmental impact, and work and wine-product quality. Presentation was scheduled for Tuesday 17 November at 11:00 in Pavilion 4, Conference Room, during the opening of the 31st SIMEI.2
Technology Innovation Award 2026
Elyra by Bertolaso | Omnia Technologies uses a compact tank and redesigned valves to reduce washing-water consumption, simplify maintenance and handle different products without affecting their quality. Disgorging Valve by GAI Macchine combines topping-off, dosing and levelling after disgorgement and controls bottle pressure to reduce foam and wine loss.2
HTS Enologia di Luigi Scavone presented IntraSense™, for real-time measurement, dosing and localized intervention, and MetaFerm™, which uses past fermentation data to optimize later batches. Virtual5 by Omnia Technologies combines cloud, 5G, artificial intelligence, IoT and Digital Twin for virtual and predictive plant monitoring.2
Green Innovation Award 2026
Flavy FGCM by Bucher Vaslin filters must and unprocessed wine with high suspended solids while reducing water and energy use. GoLo™ by Logichem uses vacuum evaporation and a heat pump for dealcoholization, cutting required power by 70%.2
Altair by Astro helps separate aluminium from bottle glass before disposal. Virtuo by Gruppo Crealis uses 100% recycled tin and, according to the source, matches conventional performance while cutting production-cycle CO₂ emissions by 61%.2
New Technology 2026
The 12 New Technology distinctions included Enovision by 3U Vision, AI optical grape sorter; Stiratura Universale by Acmi Labelling | Omnia Technologies, label finishing; LiOX VT by Diam Bouchage, closure for still wines; and Ekinsa App by Equipamientos Industrales Ekinsa, barrel washing and sterilization control.2
Also recognized: Pressa CR Racing by L.A.S.I., for whole or crushed grapes; AMHS System by Nortan | Omnia Technologies, for capsuling machines; Smart Valve System by Parsec, for temperature control; and Anello di sicurezza by Pop Guard, cork retention for sparkling wines.2
The list was completed by 2 Puleo technologies—Clear Flow for must flotation and Pressatura Pulse for pneumatic presses—Nomasense CO2 C2000 by Vinventions, for dissolved CO₂ analysis, and Winegrid DataDriven by Watgrid, an AI wine-monitoring platform.2
Sources
Written by the Dionysus editors from the sources above.
