The fruit of the vine: from raw fruit to upcycled material
Freshly picked, dried, as juice, or as wine, we enjoy grapes in many ways throughout the day. Yet they are an even more precious and versatile resource than we might imagine. If we told you they could be used as fuel or as a material in the textile industry, would you believe us?
Let us dive into the world of vineyards together and discover the many ways to enjoy grapes, from the most obvious to the most creative!
Enjoying grapes in our daily lives
Bacchus in the kitchen
6,000 years ago, grapes were already 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, fresh in bunches or dried, and more. Prized as much by pastry chefs as by Michelin-starred chefs, grapes pair wonderfully with savoury dishes like tagine or foie gras, as well as desserts like rum baba. They will delight the palate of sweet-and-savoury lovers.
As a starter or dessert, for breakfast or aperitifs, in red, white, yellow, pink, or purple varieties, the ways to enjoy them are endless!
While enjoying the fresh fruit remains most common, the seeds and leaves also hold a special place in gastronomy. Grape seed oil is an excellent alternative to other cooking oils, low in saturated fatty acids and rich in unsaturated fatty acids. Vine leaves, meanwhile, are a staple of Turkish and Greek cuisine, imparting a delicate, tangy flavour to wrapped dishes as they cook.
From bunch to beauty care
A source of fibre, rich in antioxidants, vitamin B, potassium, and iron, grapes offer numerous nutritional benefits. Eating grapes is believed to support cardiovascular health by improving the blood's antioxidant capacity and helping lower cholesterol. These benefits also shine in skincare: the French brand Caudalie has made vinotherapy its signature. They offer a wide range of beauty products formulated from grape seeds, vine shoots, and vine sap—three active ingredients that nourish the skin and combat signs of ageing.
You can even create your own homemade grape cosmetics. Once put through a juicer, simply mix the pulp and seeds with a spoonful of honey. You will obtain a subtly textured scrub that is perfect for exfoliating. You will love the delicate scent of this skincare treatment. Do not forget to choose organic grapes—they are always the best choice!
Red wine vinegar: the star of household cleaning
Red wine vinegar is produced through the fermentation of wine. You can rely on it to eliminate limescale and scale buildup on your taps, coffee maker, kettle, and bathtub. Simply dilute a few drops in warm water, apply to the area to be cleaned, and wait a few minutes. It works like a charm! You will give your home a fresh sparkle while protecting the planet. It is an excellent alternative to chemical cleaners whose fumes contribute to indoor pollution: no aerosol sprays, no chlorine water pollution, and above all, you safeguard your health by avoiding toxic fumes.
Wine vinegar is also remarkably effective for making your dishes shine and restoring sparkle to your stemmed glasses and silver cutlery. Yet another string to its bow!
Grapes and the circular economy
Grape pomace
Every year after the harvest, grapes are pressed to extract the liquid that will be served as juice, sparkling drink, or wine. The grape pomace—composed of skin, seeds, and other residues—is then often discarded. What a waste! In reality, it is a genuine treasure. A handful of entrepreneurs and individuals have stopped seeing it as mere waste, realising instead that it represents an extremely valuable resource. At Zèta, that is precisely how we see it: a production by-product, certainly, 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? They reclaim grape skins and seeds to create a vegan material that we use on our shoes.
Their vegan material is not limited to fashion: it is also used in home decor and the automotive industry. The ambition is immense, and the future of these plant-based alternatives looks bright.
Still hesitating? This material truly has it all. Just as durable and stylish as traditional leather, it is above all much kinder to the environment and to the people who craft it.
For DIY enthusiasts, plant-based dye made from red grapes helps reduce waste while naturally colouring fabrics. Their natural pigments allow you to customise any piece in your wardrobe.
From grape to vine: an endless renewal
Some winemakers have also chosen to repurpose the pomace they used to throw away. Once deseeded, it can now serve as natural fertiliser for the vines that will produce the next harvest. This compost enriches the organic matter in the soil while providing essential minerals that plants love. The value for money is unbeatable. This next-generation fertiliser, used on a large scale, could allow the wine sector to become a leader in the circular economy. Grape pomace still holds wonderful surprises in store: it can help immunise plants against various diseases by triggering a natural self-defence reaction, and it even offers photoprotective properties. This could lead to a drastic reduction in pesticide use in vineyards and fields.
One vineyard, hundreds of opportunities
Extensive research and development is underway to upcycle this valuable resource. Some vehicles now run on bioethanol produced from the distillation of wine-making residues. Even factoring in emissions from producing this biofuel, it represents a reduction of over 85% in greenhouse gas emissions compared to diesel. As early as 2019, the Gard department in France approved buses running on grape pomace bioethanol. Charente-Maritime, Montpellier, and Bordeaux soon followed suit.
Researchers at an American university recently developed a process to recycle winery by-products into an eco-friendly additive that reduces the environmental impact of road salts used for de-icing. Traditional road salts are harmful to the environment, damaging infrastructure and contaminating water as they wash into rivers and seep into groundwater. Incorporating grape skins—transformed into a non-toxic chemical solution—into road salts could significantly reduce their use. Further proof that the circular economy is taking over the wine industry, the company Nomacorc should soon offer corks made from grape pomace.
Enjoyed by billions of people worldwide in solid or liquid form. An emblem of French craftsmanship. A model of the circular economy in a world of growing environmental consciousness. Celebrated in gastronomy for its flavour and virtues, and harnessed in cosmetics for its anti-ageing properties. What other fruit could boast such credentials?
Written by Pauline Bercon
