The quality of commercial wines has increased considerably over the last 30 years and it is always a challenge for winemakers to be able to distinguish themselves from others, albeit working with specific terroirs. Furthermore, the needs of consumers push towards the development of increasingly fresh and expressive wines, paying ever more attention to the environment and to their health.
The work presented by Etienne Dorignac aims to offer winemakers a "blending" tool to help them produce intensely fruity and clean wines.
Through the creation of yeasts by hybridization, the R & D Fermentis department has developed a multi-stage screening of the obtained strains. Initially the fermentation capacity and production of sulphites, acetaldehyde and acetate esters were analysed and finally the organoleptic properties verified through numerous vinifications.
A specific hybrid emerged from this process with particularly interesting characteristics as it produces on average 40% less acetaldehyde and sulphites and 2 to 4 times more isoamyl acetate than the reference strains.
Following Yorgos Kotseridis describes the study carried out on the impact, in aromatic varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, of a species not yet studied in wine: Saccharomyces pastorianus.
The results showed that the S. pastorianus strains can complete the fermentations, almost without producing acetic acid and producing high concentrations of 2-phenylethanol and its acetate. Saccharomyces pastorianus species therefore seem to be interesting for winemaking, either alone or in co-inoculation with S. bayanus, to help decrease the volatile acidity of wine.
The reports reproduced in these films were presented at the 12th edition of Enoforum (Vicenza, Italy, May 21-23, 2019) within the module organized in cooperation with HTS enologia - Fermentis