Fitness of Selected Indigenous Saccharomyces cerevisiae Strains for White Piceno DOC Wines Production

Whole genome sequencing of Canadian Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains isolated from spontaneous wine fermentations reveals a new Pacific West Coast Wine clade

Vineyards in wine regions around the world are reservoirs of yeast with oenological potential. Saccharomyces cerevisiae ferments grape sugars to ethanol and generates flavor and aroma compounds in wine. Wineries place a high-value on identifying yeast native to their region to develop a region-specific wine program. Commercial wine strains are genetically very similar due to a population bottleneck and in-breeding compared to the diversity of S. cerevisiae from the wild and other industrial processes. We have isolated and microsatellite-typed hundreds of S. cerevisiae strains from spontaneous fermentations of grapes from the Okanagan Valley wine region in British Columbia, Canada. We chose 75 S. cerevisiae strains, based on our microsatellite clustering data, for whole genome sequencing using Illumina paired-end reads. Phylogenetic analysis shows that British Columbian S. cerevisiae strains cluster into 4 clades: Wine/European, Transpacific Oak, Beer 1/Mixed Origin, and a new clade that we have designated as Pacific West Coast Wine. The Pacific West Coast Wine clade has high nucleotide diversity and shares genomic characteristics with wild North American oak strains but also has gene flow from Wine/European and Ecuadorian clades. We analyzed gene copy number variations to find evidence of domestication and found that strains in the Wine/European and Pacific West Coast Wine clades have gene copy number variation reflective of adaptations to the wine-making environment. The "wine circle/Region B", a cluster of 5 genes acquired by horizontal gene transfer into the genome of commercial wine strains is also present in the majority of the British Columbian strains in the Wine/European clade but in a minority of the Pacific West Coast Wine clade strains. Previous studies have shown that S. cerevisiae strains isolated from Mediterranean Oak trees may be the living ancestors of European wine yeast strains. This study is the first to isolate S. cerevisiae strains with genetic similarity to nonvineyard North American Oak strains from spontaneous wine fermentations.

Preliminary Studies on the In Vitro Interactions Between the Secondary Metabolites Produced by Esca-Associated Fungi and Enological Saccharomyces cerevisiae Strains

Esca-affected vines alter the carbohydrate metabolism, xylem transport of water and photosynthesis and show regular grapes (but berries do not reach maturity), and phenolic compounds are reduced in concentration, oxidate and polymerizate. Pullulan and a mixture of scytalone and isosclerone (9:1; w/w), secondary metabolites produced in vitro and in planta by Phaeoacremonium minimum (syn. P. aleophilum) and Phaeomoniella chlamydospora, were assayed against the strains Byosal HS1 and IOC 18-2007 in microvinifications with synthetic grape must. The presence of pullulan and pentaketides mix affects the growth and metabolism of the tested Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains. Assays at 100 and 1000 µg mL−1 inhibited the growth of both strains, while no effects were recorded when evaluated at 1 and 5 µg mL−1. In comparison with the controls, pullulan and the scytalone/isosclerone mixture at 10 µg mL−1 had a growth reduction, a lower alcohol yield, reduced the concentration of tartaric acid and malic acid; and slowed down the production of lactic acid, acetic acid and total polyphenol content of the tested S. cerevisiae strains. These metabolites could be applied as an alternative to the sulfite addition in the early stages of vinification to support the action of selected Saccharomyces. Appealing is the subtractive action of pullulan against tartaric acid. Further data are needed to confirm and validate the enological performance in freshly pressed grape juice.

Selection of Indigenous Saccharomyces cerevisiae Strains and Exploitation of a Pilot-Plant to Produce Fresh Yeast Starter Cultures in a Winery

The inoculation of grape juice with Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains selected from indigenous yeast populations can be a suitable tool to control alcoholic fermentation, contributing to producing wines with typical flavor and aroma and, hence, the demand for native starter cultures is increasing. However, since low amounts of indigenous yeast biomasses are usually required for local winemaking, the industrial production of these yeasts can be expensive. Therefore, in this study, after selecting an indigenous S. cerevisiae strain based on relevant oenological and technological features, a pilot-plant for easy and rapid production of fresh yeast biomass directly in a winery located in Tuscany, was exploited. The selected yeast strain was used as a starter to carry out 25 and 100 hL fermentations and its enological performance was compared with that of the commercial starter normally used in the winery. Chemical and sensory analysis of the resulting wines showed that they differentiated according to the used yeast strain, with the wines produced by the indigenous S. cerevisiae strain being characterized by a distinctive aromatic and sensory profile. In conclusion, the pilot-plant effectively resulted in producing fresh yeast starter cultures in the winery to be successfully used to carry out alcoholic fermentations.

Improved Saccharomyces cerevisiae Strain in Pure and Sequential Fermentation with Torulaspora delbrueckii for the Production of Verdicchio Wine with Reduced Sulfites

The application of yeast strains that are low producers of sulfur compounds is actually required by winemakers for the production of organic wine. This purpose could be satisfied using a native Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain improved for oenological aptitudes. Moreover, to improve the aromatic complexity of wines, sequential fermentations carried out with S. cerevisiae/non-Saccharomyces yeast is widely used. For these reasons, in the present work an improved native S. cerevisiae low producer of sulfite and sulfide compounds was evaluated in pure and in sequential fermentation with a selected Torulaspora delbrueckii. Additionally, the influence of grape juices coming from three different vintages under winery conditions was evaluated. In pure fermentation, improved native S. cerevisiae strain exhibited a behavior related to vintage, highlighting that the composition of grape juice affects the fermentation process. In particular, an increase in ethyl octanoate (vintage 2017) and phenyl ethyl acetate (vintage 2018) was detected. Moreover, isoamyl acetate was highly consistent and could be a distinctive aroma of the strain. The sequential fermentation T. delbrueckii/S. cerevisiae determined an increase in aroma compounds such as phenyl ethyl acetate and ethyl hexanoate. In this way, it was possible to produce Verdicchio wine with reduced sulfites and characterized by a peculiar aromatic taste.

Multivariate optimization of an analytical method for the analysis of Abruzzo white wines by ICP OES

An inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) method was optimized and applied for determining the concentration of 14 elements (Ba, Ca, Co, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Sr, V, and Zn) in three representative white wines of the Abruzzo region (Italy). In order to optimise an ICP OES method a three level factorial design for three variables was used. The intensity of the emission lines for analytes was simultaneously maximised by using Derringer's desirability function. Using this approach, the optimal experimental conditions for wine analysis of 0.48 L min-1, 1.8 mL min-1 and 0.5 L min-1 for the nebulizer gas flow rate, sample uptake rate and auxiliary gas flow rate respectively were achieved. A total of 46 white wine samples of the three varieties were analysed by using the optimised experimental conditions. Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) and Partial Least Squares Linear Discriminant Analysis (PLS LDA) allowed an acceptable classification of the three varietal samples.

Reduction of Sulfur Compounds through Genetic Improvement of Native Saccharomyces cerevisiae Useful for Organic and Sulfite-Free Wine

Sulfites and sulfides are produced by yeasts in different amounts depending on different factors, including growth medium and specific strain variability. In natural must, some strains can produce an excess of sulfur compounds that confer unpleasant smells, inhibit malolactic fermentation and lead to health concerns for consumers. In organic wines and in sulfite-free wines the necessity to limit or avoid the presence of sulfide and sulfite requires the use of selected yeast strains that are low producers of sulfur compounds, with good fermentative and aromatic aptitudes. In the present study, exploiting the sexual mass-mating spores’ recombination of a native Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain previously isolated from grape, three new S. cerevisiae strains were selected. They were characterized by low sulfide and sulfite production and favorable aromatic imprinting. This approach, that occurs spontaneously also in nature, allowed us to obtain new native S. cerevisiae strains with desired characteristics that could be proposed as new starters for organic and sulfite-free wine production, able to control sulfur compound production and to valorize specific wine types.

The Influence of Selected Autochthonous Saccharomyces cerevisiae Strains on the Physicochemical and Sensory Properties of Narince Wines

Vitis vinifera cv. Narince is a Turkish native white grape variety. In this study, volatile and sensory properties of Narince wines that are produced with autochthonous Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) strains and commercial strain were compared. Autochthonous yeast strains 1044 (MG017575), 1088 (MG017577), and 1281 (MG017581) were previously isolated from spontaneous fermentations of Narince grapes. Volatile compounds formed in wines were extracted using a liquid–liquid extraction method and determined by GC-MS-FID. All yeast strains fermented Narince grape juice to dryness. The differences between the volatile profiles of the yeast strains were determined. Wines fermented with autochthonous strains 1281 and 1044 produced a higher amount of acetates and ethyl esters. While the highest concentrations of ethyl hexanoate and hexyl acetate were found in wine fermented with 1044, the highest concentrations of ethyl octanoate, ethyl decanoate, isoamyl acetate, and 2-phenylethyl acetate were found in wine fermented with strain 1281. Also, the highest contents of 2-phenyl ethanol and linalool were found in wine fermented with strain 1281. According to sensory analysis, the wine fermented with 1281 achieved the best scores in floral and fruity attributes, as well as balance and global impression. The data obtained in the present study showed that autochthonous yeast strains affect the final physicochemical composition and sensory profile of Narince wines.

Microbiota of Fermented Beverages

This special issue collected recent developments on the microbiota of fermented beverages, from raw materials to the finished product, as well as the use of specific starter cultures. In particular, several studies investigated the occurrence and use of conventional and non-conventional yeasts in distilled alcoholic beverages, wine, and beer production, while other papers investigated probiotic and health-promoting compounds. Results indicated that the management of microbiota greatly improves the analytical, sensorial, and healthy characteristics of fermented beverages.

Effects of Pure and Mixed Autochthonous Torulaspora delbrueckii and Saccharomyces cerevisiae on Fermentation and Volatile Compounds of Narince Wines

The cultivar of Narince is a native white grape variety of Vitis vinifera, grown in Tokat city, the Mid-Black Sea Region of Anatolia. In this study, the effects of pure and mixed autochthonous Torulaspora delbrueckii-214 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae-1088 cultures on the fermentation behavior and aroma compounds of Narince wines were investigated. Volatile compounds formed in wines were extracted using a liquid–liquid extraction method and determined by GC-MS-FID. Narince grape must was fermented in duplicate, under the following three conditions. Two pure cultures of T. delbrueckii-214 and S. cerevisiae-1088 and a mixture of T. delbrueckii-214 and S. cerevisiae-1088 (1:1). The presence of the non-Saccharomyces T. delbrueckii-214 yeast slowed down the fermentation and produced a lower level of ethanol and a higher levels of glycerol and volatile acid. Only the pure culture of T. delbrueckii-214 was unable to finish fermentation. On the other hand, mixed culture fermentation improved the aroma intensity and complexity of wine due to increased levels of higher alcohols and esters. According to sensory analysis, wine fermented with mixed culture was the most preferred wine followed by wine inoculated with pure S. cerevisiae-1088. This study confirms the role of T. delbrueckii in wine aroma and the potential of non-Saccharomyces use in winemaking.