Modulating Wine Pleasantness Throughout Wine-Yeast Co-Inoculation or Sequential Inoculation

Alice Vilela

doi:10.3390/fermentation6010022

Abstract

Wine sensory experience includes flavor, aroma, color, and (for some) even acoustic traits, which impact consumer acceptance. The quality of the wine can be negatively impacted by the presence of off-flavors and aromas, or dubious colors, or sediments present in the bottle or glass, after pouring (coloring matter that precipitates or calcium bitartrate crystals). Flavor profiles of wines are the result of a vast number of variations in vineyard and winery production, including grape selection, winemaker’s knowledge and technique, and tools used to produce wines with a specific flavor. Wine color, besides being provided by the grape varieties, can also be manipulated during the winemaking. One of the most important “tools” for modulating flavor and color in wines is the choice of the yeasts. During alcoholic fermentation, the wine yeasts extract and metabolize compounds from the grape must by modifying grape-derived molecules, producing flavor-active compounds, and promoting the formation of stable pigments by the production and release of fermentative metabolites that affect the formation of vitisin A and B type pyranoanthocyanins. This review covers the role of Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces yeasts, as well as lactic acid bacteria, on the perceived flavor and color of wines and the choice that winemakers can make by choosing to perform co-inoculation or sequential inoculation, a choice that will help them to achieve the best performance in enhancing these wine sensory qualities, avoiding spoilage and the production of defective flavor or color compounds.

Highlights

The wine yeasts extract and metabolize compounds from the grape must by modifying grape-derived molecules, producing flavor-active compounds, and promoting the formation of stable pigments by the production and release of fermentative metabolites that affect the formation of vitisin A and B type pyranoanthocyanins
This review covers the role of Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces yeasts, as well as lactic acid bacteria, on the perceived flavor and color of wines and the choice that winemakers can make by choosing to perform co-inoculation or sequential inoculation, a choice that will help them to achieve the best performance in enhancing these wine sensory qualities, avoiding spoilage and the production of defective flavor or color compounds
Five senses are involved in perceiving wine sensory quality: sight, taste, hearing, touch, and smell

Summary

The Human Senses in Wine Evaluation

Five senses are involved in perceiving wine sensory quality: sight, taste, hearing, touch, and smell. As reported by Swiegers et al [8], all of the senses play a key role in wine/flavor development—color, aroma, mouthfeel, sound, and, taste. The taste of wine can be described as sweet, sour, salty, umami, bitter, and, to a lesser extent, fat [12] These properties are the result of the presence of sugars, polyols, salts, polyphenols, flavonoid compounds, amino acids, and fatty acids. Polysaccharides, and mannoproteins contribute to the viscosity and mouthfeel of wines [13]; grape anthocyanins contribute to the color [14], and ethanol, by sheer mass, carries other alcohols along, promoting a mouth-warming effect [15]

Main Wine Aroma and Flavor Compounds from the Fermentative Origin

Yeast Modulation of Wine Aroma and Flavor Compounds

Yeast Modulation of Wine Color and Pigment Formation

Findings

Final Remarks