Acidification-deacidification strategies driven by wine fermentations performed throughout selected yeasts: impact on the final wine quality evaluated by multi-analytical approach

Abstract

Global warming is a phenomenon with far-reaching consequences affecting the environment, society, and the economy, impacting several sectors, including the wine industry [1]. 

One of the main effects of rising temperatures associated with climate change is the acceleration of grapevine vegetative and reproductive cycles, which influences both berry composition and wine quality. In addition to affecting primary metabolites such as organic acids, particularly, malic acid, sugars, and amino acids, elevated temperatures also impact secondary metabolites responsible for key sensory attributes [2]. Modern winemaking aims to limit the use of additives; therefore, biological approaches for managing wine acidity are increasingly preferred. Recent studies have focused on malic acid metabolism by the oenological yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae [3], leading to the identification of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) involved in malic acid modulation in S. cerevisiae [4]. These findings have enabled the development, through genetic selection programs, of strains capable of either consuming malic acid or preserving/producing it [5,6].

This study, carried out in collaboration with the French company BioLaffort, aims to evaluate the use of four yeast strains selected for their malic/demalic activity. One microvinification trial was carried out by testing the fermentative performances of the four yeast strains into the same vinification protocols. The objective was to assess the ability of the inoculated microorganisms to modulate and correct the overall acid balance of the wine and to better understand the mechanisms underlying these variations. Investigations were performed using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), HPLC-MS, and GC-MS technologies, which enabled the acquisition of detailed insights into the metabolic fluxes involved in the modulation of malic acid, as well as other organic acids and the biosynthesized secondary metabolites, and to explain how these compounds impact wine pH and total acidity.

Finally, the study was complemented by the application of non-destructive analytical technologies (e.g. NIR and E-nose), supporting conventional analytical methods, for fermentation monitoring, wine quality control, and the development of predictive models.

References

[1] Gonen, Limor Dina, Tchai Tavor, and Uriel Spiegel. “Adapting and thriving: global warming and the wine industry.” Sage Open 14.1 (2024): 21582440241227750.

[2] Cosme, Fernanda, Luís Filipe-Ribeiro, and Fernando M. Nunes. “Introductory Chapter: Impact of Climate Change on Grapes and Grape Products.” Global Warming and the Wine Industry-Challenges, Innovations and Future Prospects. IntechOpen, 2024.

[3] Vion, C., Yeramian, N., Hranilovic, A., Masneuf-Pomarède, I., & Marullo, P. (2024). Influence of yeasts on wine acidity: new insights into Saccharomyces cerevisiae. OENO one, 58(4).

[4] Peltier, E., Vion, C., Abou Saada, O., Friedrich, A., Schacherer, J., & Marullo, P. (2021). Flor yeasts rewire the central carbon metabolism during wine alcoholic fermentation. Frontiers in Fungal Biology, 2, 733513.

[5] Vion, C., Peltier, E., Bernard, M., Muro, M., & Marullo, P. (2021). Marker assisted selection of malic-consuming Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains for winemaking: Efficiency and limits of a QTL driven breeding program. Journal of Fungi, 7(4), 304.

[6] Vion, C., Muro, M., Bernard, M., Richard, B., Valentine, F., Yeramian, N., Masneuf- Pomarède, I., Tempère, S., & Marullo, P. (2023). New malic acid producer strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for preserving wine acidity during alcoholic fermentation. Food Microbiology, 112, 104209.