​The French government has bestowed a ceremonial knighthood, the Chevalier dans l'Ordre du Mérite Agricole (Knight in the Order of Agricultural Merit), upon wine microbiologist Prof Benoit Divol. He is an associate professor in the Department of Viticulture and Oenology and the South African Grape and Wine Research Institute at Stellenbosch University.

The Order was first created in 1883. Divol, a Parison by birth, is the only person with South African links to have received the Order in 2020. He is acknowledged for his scientific contributions as well as his endeavours to enhance research cooperation between France and South Africa, particularly in the fields of viticulture and oenology.

Speaking at the event which recently took place (3 November 2021) at Stellenbosch University, French Ambassador Aurélien Lechevallier said Divol's achievements spoke of excellence, dedication, care and solidarity.

"We want to express our highest gratitude for your endeavours and dedication to France and South Africa."

Lechevallier said the title of Knight was not only bestowed upon Divol for his remarkable research in winemaking, but also for the academic and professional bond that he has created between South Africa and France.

Since joining SU in 2005, Divol has been actively involved in research alliances, postgraduate study programme interactions, staff and student mobility and joint PhD studies between SU and the University of Burgundy, the National Polytechnic Institute of Toulouse, the University of Bordeaux and the University of Montpellier. He has also received funding for his research from industry partners in France.

Divol said he felt deeply honoured by the knighthood.

"French chemist and biologist Louis Pasteur was one of the first recipients of this distinction back in 1883. I could not possibly pretend to walk in the steps of a truly remarkable scientist and humanist. It is really flattering and an honour to receive the same distinction, especially because Pasteur is considered the father of microbiology, which is my field of research."

Divol said on a personal level, it makes him happy to create bridges between France and SA.

"Once I became an academic, it was only natural to seek and promote partnership and collaboration with France for the sake of science, of winemaking, for myself and for my students. As much as I love South Africa, I feel incredibly proud to be French. I will continue to advocate collaboration between France and South Africa, promoting scientific excellence and good wines."

Prof Koopman, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Social Impact, Transformation and Personnel, acknowledged Divol's extensive contribution to scientific research and enhanced research cooperation between France and South Africa.

"We are honoured to have Prof Divol as part of the University community. Thank you, Mr Ambassador, for recognising one of your countrymen and one of our professors," said Koopman.

Divol received his PhD in Oenology from the National Polytechnic Institute of Toulouse in 2004 and a DSc from the University of Bordeaux in 2010. He has been working at Stellenbosch University since 2005, after joining the then Institute for Wine Biotechnology as a postdoctoral researcher. Since then, he has among others led the Department of Viticulture and Oenology as chair and was promoted to associate professor in 2017.

As a microbiologist, Divol, who is also a qualified winemaker, focuses on yeasts and enzymes that are used in the winemaking process.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts are typically used in the fermentation process. Saccharomyces yeasts are widely used in the food and beverage industries, because of their ability to easily convert sugars into carbon dioxide and alcohol while producing a large variety of flavour compounds.

Divol however focuses his attention on non-Saccharomyces yeast species, how they take up and use nutrients and how they influence wine composition overall. Along with his students, he studies how such yeasts respond on a cellular and molecular level when exposed to grape juice or wine. They are searching for hydrolytic enzymes and cell wall proteins that might be of interest in the winemaking process, and ways in which to improve non-Saccharomyces yeasts using techniques other than genetic modification.

“The study of non-Saccharomyces yeasts worldwide only started approximately two decades ago," he mentions. “These yeasts tend to be not as well adapted to survive the fermentation process that turns grape juice into wine as Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains are. Nevertheless, they display relevant properties."

He believes that these complement the Saccharomyces strains in the winemaking process and that their use creates avenues for even more styles of wines to be enjoyed by wine lovers. The use of non-Saccharomyces yeast species could also make winemaking more environmentally friendly, and even reduce the use of chemicals in the process.

Over the years, quite a few yeasts have been commercialised thanks to research done at Stellenbosch University. One such discovery that Divol and his team has made is expected to be commercialised in the next year or two.

Main photo:
The French government awarded a Knighthood in the Order of Agricultural Merit to Prof Benoit Divol of the Department of Viticulture and Oenology and the South African Grape and Wine Research Institute at Stellenbosch University.

Contact details:
Prof Benoit Divol
Department of Viticulture and Oenology and the South African Grape and Wine Research Institute
Stellenbosch University
divol@sun.ac.za
072 325 5428

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