Wine aroma modification by Hanseniaspora uvarum: A multiple-step strategy for screening potential mixed starters

Abstract

Hanseniaspora uvarum is a prevalent yeast species in vineyards. However, its application in grape wine fermentation remains limited. This study used culture-dependent and -independent approaches to investigate the dynamics of H. uvarum during the spontaneous fermentation of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. The results revealed that H. uvarum constituted 77.49 % of the non-Saccharomyces yeast population during fermentation. An indigenous strain, QTX-C10, was isolated from the 148 H. uvarum strains using a multistep screening strategy. The 1:1 co-inoculation of QTX-C10 with Saccharomyces cerevisiae proved to be an optimal strategy for mixed fermentation, resulting in a 48.54 %–59.55 % increase in ethyl esters in Cabernet Sauvignon wine and a 96.94 %–110.92 % increase in Chardonnay wine. Furthermore, this approach reduced the acetic acid levels by 12.50 %–17.07 % for Cabernet Sauvignon wine and 10.81 %–17.78 % for Chardonnay wine. Additionally, increased ethyl ester content may enhance the tropical fruit flavor of Cabernet Sauvignon wines.