The fruit of the vine, from its raw form to a valorised resource
Freshly picked, dried, as juice or wine, we savour grapes in many different forms throughout the day. Yet grapes are an even more precious and versatile resource than we might imagine. What if we told you they could be used as fuel or as a material in the textile industry — would you believe it?
Let us dive together into the world of the vine and discover the many ways to enjoy grapes, from the most obvious to the most original!
Consuming grapes in our everyday lives
Bacchus in the kitchen
6,000 years ago, grapes were already being consumed in their original form. Little by little, human beings — WE — discovered the potential of this fruit. It can be enjoyed in many different forms: as juice, wine, jam, in a bunch or dried, and so on. Just as appreciated by pastry chefs as by Michelin-starred chefs, grapes pair perfectly with savoury dishes such as tagine or foie gras, or sweet ones like baba au rhum. It will delight the palates of those who love sweet-and-savoury combinations.
As a starter or dessert, at breakfast or as an aperitif, in shades of red, white, yellow, rosé or purple, the ways to enjoy it are endless!
While eating the flesh remains the most common use, the seeds and leaves also hold a privileged place in our gastronomy. Grape seed oil is an excellent alternative to other cooking oils, low in saturated fatty acids and rich in unsaturated fatty acids. The vine leaf, for its part, is particularly used in Turkish and Greek cuisine. Once wrapped, foods are infused with a tangy flavour during cooking.
From the bunch to cosmetics
A source of fibre, rich in antioxidants, vitamin B, potassium and iron, grapes possess numerous nutritional benefits. Their consumption is thought to have positive effects on the prevention of cardiovascular diseases by improving the blood's antioxidant capacity and lowering cholesterol levels. Their virtues are also found in cosmetics. The French brand Caudalie has even made vinotherapy its speciality. This company offers a wide range of cosmetic products made from grape seeds, vine shoots, and vine sap. These three active substances help care for the skin and combat its ageing.
You can even try homemade cosmetics made from grapes. Once blended in a centrifuge, simply mix the pulp and seeds with a spoonful of honey. You will obtain a grainy texture perfect for an exfoliant. You will be won over by the scent of this treatment. Do not forget to select organic grapes — it is always better!
Red wine vinegar, star of household products
Red wine vinegar is obtained through the fermentation of wine. You can rely on it to tackle the limescale and scale clogging your taps, coffee maker, kettle, and bath. Simply dilute a few drops in hot water, pour the liquid onto the area to be cleaned, and wait a few minutes. The magic works! You will give your home a truly fresh look while respecting the environment. It is an excellent alternative to chemical products whose fumes contribute to ambient pollution. No aerosol sprays, no chlorine water pollution, and above all you protect your health by breathing no toxic substances.
Wine vinegar is also very effective for making your crockery shine and restoring brilliance to your stemmed glasses and silver cutlery. Yet another string to its bow!
Grapes and the circular economy
Grape marc
Every year, after the harvest, grapes are pressed to extract the liquid that will then be served as juice, sparkling wine, or still wine. The grape marc, made up of the skins, seeds, and other residues, is then often discarded. What a waste! It is in reality a true treasure. A handful of entrepreneurs and individuals have stopped seeing it as a by-product and have understood that it represents an extremely interesting resource. At Zeta, this is how we see it: a by-product from an initial manufacturing process, yes — but one that, once upcycled, becomes a perfectly usable material.
We are not the only ones on the market. You may have heard of Vegea in Italy? This brand collects grape skin and grain residues to create a vegan material that we will use in our shoes.
Their vegan material is not limited to fashion: it is also used in interior design and the automotive industry. The ambition is great, and the future of these plant-based alternatives looks promising.
Still hesitating? This material has everything going for it. Just as durable and aesthetically pleasing as traditional leather, it is above all far more respectful of the environment and of the people who make it.
For those who enjoy making things at home, plant-based dye made from red grapes helps reduce waste whilst dyeing a garment naturally. Their pigments allow you to customise any piece of your wardrobe.
From grape to vine, an eternal cycle
Some winegrowers have also decided to make the most of the marc they used to discard. Once de-seeded, it can now be used as fertiliser for the vines that will produce the next harvest. This compost helps improve the level of organic matter in the soil whilst providing the mineral elements that plants thrive on. The value for money is unbeatable. This next-generation fertiliser, used on a large scale, could enable the wine-growing sector to become one of the leaders in terms of circular economy. Grape marc still has some wonderful surprises in store for us. Indeed, it could immunise plants against attacks from several diseases by triggering a self-defence reaction. It would also have a photo-protective effect. This would lead to a drastic reduction in the use of pesticides in vineyards and fields.
A vineyard, hundreds of opportunities
An enormous amount of research and development is carried out to add value to this by-product. Some vehicles now run on bioethanol, obtained from the distillation of wine residues. Even taking into account the emissions linked to the production of this biofuel, it would represent a reduction of more than 85% in greenhouse gas emissions compared to diesel. As early as 2019, the Gard department had authorised the circulation of buses using bioethanol derived from grape marc. Charente-Maritime, Montpellier, and Bordeaux were quick to follow suit.
Researchers at an American university have recently invented a process to recycle wine-growing by-products into an eco-friendly additive to reduce the environmental impact of road salts used to de-ice roads. These are highly harmful to the environment, as they damage infrastructure and contaminate water by flowing into rivers and seeping into groundwater. Incorporating grape skins, transformed into a non-toxic chemical solution, into road salts would considerably reduce their use. Yet further proof that the circular economy is taking hold in the wine-growing sector: the company Nomacorc is set to soon offer for sale corks made from grape marc.
Consumed by billions of people around the world in solid or liquid form. An emblem of French expertise. A model of circular economy in a world where our environmental awareness is growing. Celebrated in gastronomy for its flavour and virtues, used in cosmetics for its anti-ageing properties. What other fruit could boast such an impressive record?
Written by Pauline Bercon
