Cutting-edge Technology: the Automatic Optical Sorter Featuring Artificial Intelligence

Grape selection traditionally begins in the vineyard, where unsuitable bunches are discarded. Specialized workers then select again before destemming, followed by berry-level sorting after destemming. Manual tables can process approximately 20 quintals per hour, or about 160 quintals over eight hours, while Fattoria del Cerro may receive 500–600 quintals in a harvest day.

The automatic system spreads berries in a single layer on a conveyor, analyzes them and uses an air jet to divert rejects. Earlier optical systems relied primarily on high-speed images and a limited set of parameters such as colour, shape, size and chlorophyll. Artificial intelligence enables the new machine to learn from examples chosen by the operator and calibrate its sensors accordingly.

Each variety and harvesting method receives a separate program. Suitable berries continue to the cellar hopper, while rejects enter a dedicated container. The system achieves stated accuracy of around 90%. Nardi nevertheless stresses that the technician defines the program and that sensory and emotional interpretation remain human tasks.