Valentina Martin, Valentina Olivera, Laura Farina, Eduardo Boido, Eduardo Dellacassa, Remi Schneider, Albert Mas, Tomas Roman, Antonio Morata, and Francisco Carrau*
*Universidad de la Republica, Av. Gral. Flores 2124, 11800, Uruguay (fcarrau@fq.edu.uy)

Vinification is the process in which yeasts ferment grape sugars to produce ethanol, carbon dioxide, and secondary metabolites. Many wine aroma compounds are derived from yeast secondary metabolism, during which different compounds form that contribute to the aroma profile, color, and mouthfeel. The composition of wines associated with these metabolites is key to obtain wines with different character and typicality. Recent laboratory- and pilot-scale research has examined the behavior of native non-Saccharomyces yeasts and their influence on the production of these compounds. At commercial level, winemakers have limited access to yeast diversity, in contrast to the great strain diversity found on grape skin surfaces: the microbial terroir. We focused on Hanseniaspora vineae because of its proven fermentative capacity and low volatile acidity formation when compared to other species of this genus and its contribution to the increased aromatic profile of wines with floral, fruity, and mouthfeel descriptors. The objective of this work was to carry out fermentations with the selected strain Hv205 and with diverse grape varieties in wineries located in Uruguay, Italy, and Spain during two harvests. Chemical and sensory analyses were performed on wines elaborated using Chardonnay, Macabeo, Albillo, Trebbiano, Ugni blanc, and Semillon white grapes and Tannat, Tempranillo, and Pinot noir red grapes. The results allowed us to conclude that the liquid and dry active formulations of H. vineae Hv205 were compatible with fermentation at industrial scale for base sparkling, white, and red wines. There were significant increases in aromatic compounds such as benzenoids and acetates. Furthermore, polysaccharides and other compounds derived from yeast cell lysis might explain the increase in roundness perception in mouthfeel compared to Saccharomyces strains. Likewise, the wines obtained were preferred and differentiated from those fermented with conventional commercial yeasts.

Funding Support: Agencia Nacional de Investigacion e Innovacion ANII Proyecto Ali 2_2019_1_155314