Correlations between microbes with volatile compounds and physicochemical indicators of Cabernet Sauvignon wines fermented with different starters

Abstract

The use of native yeasts is becoming an effective way of improving wine regional character aromas. In this study, three native Saccharomyces cerevisiae (FML, FMS and JCT) and one commercial S. cerevisiae F15 were used to ferment Cabernet Sauvignon wine, and the differences of microorganisms, volatile compounds and physicochemical indicators were evaluated. The result showed that 20 bacterial genera and 10 fungal genera were identified as dominant genera (relative abundance >1%) among them. A total of 74 volatile compounds were detected, most of which originated from the fermentation process (12 alcohols, 27 esters, 5 acids and 4 ketones). FMS was found providing higher content of aromas (13396.76 μg/L), especially ethyl acetate (1566.04 μg/L), which enhanced the pineapple flavor characteristics of wine. In addition, Spearman's correlation and orthogonal partial least squares (OPLS) analysis indicated that FMS had more core microorganisms (21) compared to FML (13), JCT (11) and F15 (16). Some genera in FMS that were closely correlated with volatile compounds, such as Citrobacter, Promicromonospora, Turicibacter, and Saccharomyces, contribute to the formation of esters and alcohols. Our findings provided beneficial reference for the industrial application of indigenous yeast and the development of distinctive Cabernet Sauvignon wines.