Ana Hranilovic,* Enzo Barbier, Marion Favier, and Joana Coulon
*Laffort, 11 Rue Aristide Berges, 33270, France (ana.hranilovic@laffort.com)

Piquette is a low-alcohol beverage made primarily from leftover winemaking pomace and water. With historical roots and a recent resurgence, it meets modern consumer demands for lighter, sustainable beverages. Piquette fermentations often rely on ambient microorganisms, potentially resulting in unpredictable profiles. In this study, we tested the lactic acid-producing yeast Lachancea thermotolerans (Zymaflore Omega) in piquette production to address issues of low acidity/high pH. Sauvignon blanc pomace was sourced from a winery in Bordeaux after routine processing of grapes. Equal amounts of pomace were distributed into fermenters, followed by the addition of three different volumes of water: equivalent to, double, and half the volume of the pomace mass. For each water addition, two fermentation regimes were compared: inoculation with Omega (200 ppm) and uninoculated treatments. After five days, the samples were pressed off skins and subjected to physicochemical and sensory profiling. The analytical profiles varied based on water addition and fermentation regime. All samples fermented to dryness, with ethanol levels ranging from 3.9 to 6.7% ABV depending on the dilution. Samples with the highest ethanol levels had the highest pH (4.0) regardless of the inoculation regime. The lowest pH (3.8) was observed in the modality fermented with Omega, following double water addition. Malic acid was not detected in any samples, indicating complete MLF. However, Omega-treated samples had higher lactic acid levels due to partial conversion of sugars into lactate by L. thermotolerans. Conversely, uninoculated samples contained more acetic acid. The polyphenolic profiles and color (CIELAB) also differed between the samples. Inoculation of Omega resulted in higher scores of aroma intensity, thiols, balance, freshness, body, and overall impression, regardless of the water addition level. Together, these findings highlight the potential of harnessing microbial diversity to create alternative beverages with enhanced profiles, aligning with the principles of circular economy.

Funding Support: Laffort