Bio-Dealcoholization of Wines: Can Yeast Make Lighter Wines?

Abstract

The relationship between climate change and viticulture has become increasingly apparent in recent years. Rising temperatures have been a critical factor in early grape ripening. This, in turn, has led to wines with imbalanced acidity and, more importantly, higher alcohol content and pH values. Today, consumers demand high-quality and healthy products, and this trend has extended to wine consumption. Consumers prefer wines with reduced alcohol content due to the health risks associated with alcohol consumption. To meet this demand, researchers have developed modified yeast strains that reduce wine alcohol content during fermentation. These strains ferment less sugar or redirect carbon metabolism. However, their use may pose challenges, such as producing undesired secondary metabolites that can affect wine characteristics. Additionally, consumers are still divided on using genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food and beverages. This review examines the impact of climate change on wine quality and consumer perception, taking into account new technologies used to reduce wine alcohol content or produce low-alcohol-content wines, such as low-cost techniques like bio-dealcoholization performed by non-GMO wine yeast, Saccharomyces, and non-Saccharomyces.