Experimental Wines Research Articles

The influence of pre-fermentative treatments on the volatile, chromatic features, organic acids and phenolic content of Fetească albă Romanian wine

The present study evaluates the influence of some pre-fermentative treatments on the volatile content, the chromatic parameters, the total polyphenol index and Folin-Ciocâlteu index of experimental wines obtained from Feteasca alba grape variety. Five experimental samples were produced: FA V0 (control sample), FA V1 (sodium bentonite treatment), FA V2 (glutathione treatment), FA V3 (tannin treatment), FA V4 (oenological coal treatment). The use of pre-fermentative treatments show lower values of Folin-Ciocâlteu index and total polyphenol index, excepting sample treated with tannin. Major color differences are found in the sample treated with tannin and oenological coal. Gas-chromatographic analysis reveals the presence of common wine esters, such as: hexanoic acid ethyl ester, ethyl caprylate, ethyl lactate, ethyl caprate, ethyl myristate, ethyl palmitate, that contributes at the accomplishment of the wines from the sensorial point of view. Diethyl malonate, a compound that occurs naturally in grapes has an apple-like odor and it was identified in the control sample and in the samples treated with tannin and oenological coal, being found n greater quantity in the control sample (0.02 mmol/L)and the sample treated with coal (0.03 mmol/L). Another ester, methyl oleate that offers a mild-fatty odor wasn't identified in the control sample, but it was detected in the samples treated with clay, tannin and oenological coal. Using the HPLC method it was also analysed the presence of some organic acids in wine samples.

Effect of Skin Contact Before and During Alcoholic Fermentation on the Chemical and Sensory Profile of South African Chenin Blanc White Wines

The volatile and phenolic composition of Chenin blanc wines made with different skin contact treatments was studied. One batch of grapes was used to make a dry white wine according to two different treatments, namely pre-fermentative skin contact and complete fermentation on the skins. A white wine fermented without any skin contact was used as control. Fermentation on the skins and skin contact before fermentation led to significantly lower levels of terpenes, esters, acids and thiols, and the highest significant levels of alcohols and phenolic compounds. However, this effect was less pronounced in wines with skin contact before fermentation. Sensory analysis of all the experimental wines was also performed. The results showed a significant shift from the sensory attributes of fresh and tropical fruits of the control Chenin blanc wines towards riper fruit notes in the skin contact treatments. This observation was correlated with the length of the skin contact period. Possible reasons to explain the results observed in this study are discussed.

Enhancing Phenolic Maturity of Syrah with the Application of a New Foliar Spray

Climate change is inducing earlier grape ripening, especially in warm vintages. This phenomenon is resulting in unbalanced wines an alcohol concentration that is too high and titratable acidity that is low, along with a high pH level without the desired level of phenolic maturity. Final wine quality notably depends on the phenolic composition of the grapes and the extractability of these compounds. This research was designed to test a new foliar spray, called LalVigne® MATURE, for its capacity to create a balance between sugar development and phenolic maturity. It is a formulation of 100% natural, inactivated wine yeast derivatives. This foliar spray was tested on Syrah vines in two vintages (2012 and 2013) in a cool-climate wine region (Eger, Hungary). The spray acted as an elicitor, stimulating the synthesis of several secondary metabolites. The changes in anthocyanin extractability and texture characteristics of the grape berries were followed during ripening. Experimental wines were made at three separate harvest times in each vintage. Standard analytical parameters were evaluated for grapes and wines, as well as for resveratrol. Grapes from the treated vines had thicker skins than the controls at all sampling dates in both vintages. The phenolic potential (especially anthocyanin concentration and extractability) of the foliar spray-treated grapes was greatly improved. Our experiment showed that phenolic ripening can be enhanced using the foliar spray, and that its application was useful in different vintages.

Establishment of influence the nitrogen content in musts and volatile profile of white wines associated to chemometric tools

Many of the volatile compounds synthesized by yeast also change in response to the nitrogen concentration. It has been suggested that nitrogen management of wine fermentation can be an effective tool to modulate wine aroma composition and style. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of clarification time on the must of the white grapes, and to establish a practical understanding of the effect of the nitrogen content (amino acids and ammonium) on the must in relation to volatile profile of the wine. The musts were clarified by applying two settling time: 12h and 30h, and submitted to the same microvinification procedure. The results showed that the must clarification time, influenced significantly the nitrogen compounds content, where the total amino acid content was higher in musts clarified for a shorter time. Moreover, the aromatic profile of these experimental wines was clearly influenced by the must clarification time. Principal components analysis showed a strong influence of the must clarification time on the separation of the wines. The results confirm that the management of the nitrogen content of the musts can be used as a tool to obtain wines with different aromas.

Robust Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) Partial Least-Squares (PLS) Models for Tannin Quantification in Red Wine.

The validation of ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy combined with partial least-squares (PLS) regression to quantify red wine tannins is reported. The methylcellulose precipitable (MCP) tannin assay and the bovine serum albumin (BSA) tannin assay were used as reference methods. To take the high variability of wine tannins into account when the calibration models were built, a diverse data set was collected from samples of South African red wines that consisted of 18 different cultivars, from regions spanning the wine grape-growing areas of South Africa with their various sites, climates, and soils, ranging in vintage from 2000 to 2012. A total of 240 wine samples were analyzed, and these were divided into a calibration set (n = 120) and a validation set (n = 120) to evaluate the predictive ability of the models. To test the robustness of the PLS calibration models, the predictive ability of the classifying variables cultivar, vintage year, and experimental versus commercial wines was also tested. In general, the statistics obtained when BSA was used as a reference method were slightly better than those obtained with MCP. Despite this, the MCP tannin assay should also be considered as a valid reference method for developing PLS calibrations. The best calibration statistics for the prediction of new samples were coefficient of correlation (R2val) = 0.89, root mean standard error of prediction (RMSEP) = 0.16, and residual predictive deviation (RPD) = 3.49 for MCP and R2val = 0.93, RMSEP = 0.08, and RPD = 4.07 for BSA, when only the UV region (260-310 nm) was selected, which also led to a faster analysis time. In addition, a difference in the results obtained when the predictive ability of the classifying variables vintage, cultivar, or commercial versus experimental wines was studied suggests that tannin composition is highly affected by many factors. This study also discusses the correlations in tannin values between the methylcellulose and protein precipitation methods.

Impact of yeast starter formulations on the production of volatile compounds during wine fermentation

The most diffused starter formulation in winemaking is actually represented by active dry yeast (ADY). Spray-drying has been reported as an appropriate preservation method for yeast and other micro-organisms. Despite the numerous advantages of this method, the high air temperatures used can negatively affect cell viability and the fermentative performance of dried cells. In the present study, 11 wine S. cerevisiae strains (both indigenous and commercial) were submitted to spray-drying; different process conditions were tested in order to select the conditions allowing the highest strain survival. The strains exhibited high variability for tolerance to spray-drying treatment. Selected strains were tested in fermentation at laboratory scale in different formulations (free fresh cells, free dried cells, immobilized fresh cells and immobilized dried cells), in order to assess the influence of starter formulation on fermentative fitness of strains and aromatic quality of wine. The analysis of volatile fraction in the experimental wines produced by selected strains in different formulations allowed identification of > 50 aromatic compounds (alcohols, esters, ketones, aldehydes and terpenes). The results obtained showed that the starter formulation significantly influenced the content of volatile compounds. In particular, the wines obtained by strains in dried forms (as both free and immobilized cells) contained higher numbers of volatile compounds than wines obtained from fresh cells.

The application of chitosan and benzothiadiazole in vineyard (Vitis vinifera L. cv Groppello Gentile) changes the aromatic profile and sensory attributes of wine

This work reports the effects of resistance inducers on wine aroma compounds and sensory attributes. Resistance inducers are a class of products able to elicit the plant defence mechanisms against pathogens, incurring lower toxicological risks than conventional agrochemicals. Among them, chitosan (CHT) and benzothiadiazole (BTH) are particularly effective in stimulating the biosynthesis of bioactive phytochemicals. They were used in a two-year survey conducted to assess experimental wines obtained from elicitor-treated grapes. Compared with conventional fungicides (penconazole and methyldinocap), in 2009, BTH increased total acetals and esters, while CHT raised the levels of total acetals and alcohols. Sensory analysis revealed that overall acceptance was higher in CHT than in BTH. In 2010, differences were not significant. Therefore, plant activators deserve attention beyond their efficacy in crop protection. In particular, in our experimental conditions, CHT improved the volatile profile, flavour and taste of Groppello wine.

IndigenousSaccharomyces cerevisiaeyeasts as a source of biodiversity for the selection of starters for specific fermentations

The long-time studies on wine yeasts have determined a wide diffusion of inoculated fermentations by commercial starters, mainly of Saccharomyces . Although the use of starter cultures has improved the reproducibility of wine quality, the main drawback to this practice is the lack of the typical traits of wines produced by spontaneous fermentation. These findings have stimulated wine-researchers and wine-makers towards the selection of autochthonous strains as starter cultures. The objective of this study was to investigate the biodiversity of 167 S. cerevisiae yeasts, isolated from spontaneous fermentation of grapes. The genetic variability of isolates was evaluated by PCR amplification of inter-δ region with primer pair δ 2/δ 12. The same isolates were investigated for characteristics of oenological interest, such as resistance to sulphur dioxide, ethanol and copper and hydrogen sulphide production. On the basis of technological and molecular results, 20 strains were chosen and tested into inoculated fermentations at laboratory scale. The experimental wines were analyzed for the content of some by-products correlated to wine aroma, such as higher alcohols, acetaldehyde, ethyl acetate and acetic acid. One selected strain was used as starter culture to perform fermentation at cellar level. The selection program followed during this research project represents an optimal combination between two different trends in modern winemaking: the use of S. cerevisiae as starter cultures and the starter culture selection for specific fermentations.

Assessment of competition in wine fermentation among wild Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains isolated from Sangiovese grapes in Tuscany region

In this study we analyzed Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolates obtained from spontaneous fermentations of grapes collected in one vineyard (same rows), during four harvest seasons (2006–2010). A total of 160 isolates were characterized by PCR amplification of inter-δ region. Six strains, representative of the different inter-δ profiles obtained, were tested in single and mixed fermentations at laboratory scale. In all the mixed fermentations, the strain possessing profile A (the only biotype found for two consecutive years) was tested in co-cultures with each of strains showing the other profiles. The strain “A” dominated in almost all the mixed fermentations. The experimental wines obtained from single and co-culture fermentations were analyzed for the content of main secondary compounds. The wines produced by mono-cultures were very different from the wines obtained by co-fermentations, except the wine by strain “A”, which grouped together with mixed-culture wines. Furthermore, the comparison between volatile components determined in mixed culture and blended wines, obtained by mixing monoculture wines, can suggest the existence of yeast metabolic interactions during mixed fermentations. The strain exhibiting the profile A resulted a good “competitor” not only among natural yeast population, but it was also capable to dominate mixed fermentations at lab scale.

Innovative winemaking: consumer acceptance of red table wines

PurposeThis paper aims to evaluate the consumer acceptance of Bordô and Isabel wines from innovative winemaking in order to increase red wine consumption by consumers to obtain nutritional benefits.Design/methodology/approachAll wines were produced by a standard procedure of vinification. Pre‐drying treatment aimed at drying the grapes up to 22°Brix and static pomace wines presented the constant contact between the must and pomace. Sensory acceptance was carried out by 80 consumers who evaluated eight samples (six experimental wines and two commercial wines) concerning the attributes: appearance, aroma, body, flavor and overall acceptance.FindingsExperimental wines presented higher acceptance when compared to commercial wines and cluster analysis shows the splitting of consumer preferences, highlighting the higher acceptance of traditional Bordô wine and static pomace samples in all sensory attributes. Pre‐drying process enhances the concentration of coloured compounds, to highlight the appearance acceptance of these samples.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough this paper has limited the consumer acceptance of red table wines, the innovative treatments will be applied in Vitis vinifera red wines.Practical implicationsThe wide acceptance of static pomace and pre‐drying wines has promoted further information about innovative winemaking that can be applied in Brazilian and worldwide wineries.Social implicationsThe innovative treatments can change sensorial features of wines and therefore influence the choice of consumers as well as enhancing the nutritional benefits of red wines.Originality/valueThe pre‐drying and static pomace winemaking are the novelty of this study and the wide acceptance of the sensory attributes concerning these treatments indicates the potential for application in wineries.

Phytosterols in grapes and wine, and effects of agrochemicals on their levels

To improve the knowledge on the chemical diversity and complexity of grapevine, we investigated the plant sterol content of berry and seed tissues at pre-véraison and véraison stages in 2009 and 2010. We also assessed the effects of benzothiadiazole and chitosan elicitors on content of sterols in grapes and their levels in the corresponding experimental wines. β-Sitosterol was the most abundant component in berry tissues, in both growth stages and years, with the highest amounts in the flesh and skin at pre-véraison and véraison, respectively. Stigmasterol and campesterol were present in lower concentrations in both phenological stages and vintages. During the transition from pre-véraison to véraison, phytosterols decreased in all tissues, in both years, apart from stigmasterol in seeds. In addition, the results showed that the plant activators were more effective than conventional fungicides in rising the levels of sterols, particularly β-sitosterol, both in grapes and in microvinificates.

The effect of wine closures on volatile sulfur and other compounds during post‐bottle ageing

ABSTRACTThe effect of wine closures on volatile composition during post‐bottle ageing was investigated for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines. Natural cork, synthetic cork and screw caps with Saran–tin, Saranex and low density polyethylene (LDPE) liners were investigated over 3 years of storage. Dissolved O2 and SO2 as well as colour were monitored. Volatile sulfur compounds, esters, terpene alcohols, and C13‐norisoprenoids were quantified every 6 months over 3 years. The results showed that the LDPE screw cap gave the highest dissolved oxygen, lowest free SO2 and total SO2 in both wines, while the Saran–tin screw cap gave the lowest dissolved oxygen and the highest free SO2 and total SO2. A decrease of H2S, methanethiol, and thioacetates were observed during the 3 year ageing process for both wines, and their concentrations decreased most in wines sealed with LDPE screw caps and synthetic closures. The decrease of thioacetates was independent of closure type. The accumulation of dimethyl disulfide during storage was not obvious in these two wines. For both wines, no elevated sulfur compounds under any closure were detected; neither dimethyl disulfide nor dimethyl trisulfide were found in any of the experimental wines. Other volatiles also changed with in bottle ageing. Ethyl esters decreased during ageing, whereas ethyl 2‐methylbutanoate and ethyl 3‐methylbutanoate increased during ageing. Terpene alcohols showed a decreasing trend with ageing, as was β‐damascenone, but β‐ionone remained unchanged in Pinot Noir wine during ageing. Both wines under LDPE closure had the highest acetaldehyde at 36 months of ageing. Wine closure affected the concentration of terpene alcohols and C13‐norisoprenoids. Closure had no impact on nerolidol and citronellol, but LDPE screw‐capped wine had lower concentrations of linalool at 36 months of storage. Both wines with LPDE screw cap closures had higher β‐damascenone. Closure had no effect on β‐ionone and other compounds. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF TROPICAL WINES PRODUCED IN THE NORTHEAST OF BRAZIL

PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF TROPICAL WINES PRODUCED IN THE NORTHEAST OF BRAZIL

New chitosan formulation prevents grapevine powdery mildew infection and improves polyphenol content and free radical scavenging activity of grape and wine

Background and Aims: Chitosan, a chitin deacetylated derivative, is a biopolymer able to elicit the plant defence machinery against a variety of pathogens. In crop protection, it is successfully employed for its low toxicity, mainly against virus diseases. In this study, the efficacy of a new chitosan formulation (Kendal Cops® (Kc)) was evaluated in grapevine against powdery mildew infection. Total polyphenol (TP) content and antiradical power of different grape tissues and of experimental wines produced from treated grapes were also assessed. Methods and Results: Field treatments with different Kc dilutions or with Kc alternated or mixed with fungicides, or with fungicides alone (penconazole and methyldinocap) were carried out in an experimental vineyard of the cv. Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. Kc was effective in controlling powdery mildew, particularly at the concentration of 0.1%, even under high disease pressure conditions. In this case, disease severity was 2.39% in treated grapes, compared with 87.5 and 0.92% in untreated and conventional fungicide-treated grapevines, respectively. TP content, measured by Folin‐Ciocalteau colorimetric assay, was significantly higher in all Kc-treated grape tissues, compared with both untreated controls and fungicide-treated grapes. A similar trend was reported with regard to the antioxidant activity, assessed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-pycryl hydrazyl free radical scavenging test. Analysis of wines showed that both TPs and antiradical power were significantly higher in wines made from Kc-treated grapes compared with fungicide-treated ones. Conclusions: Kc not only protected grapevine from powdery mildew but also improved TP content and antioxidant activity in both grapes and wine. Significance of the Study: The possibility of using plant defence inducers in crop protection deserves particular attention because of their low environmental impact and of their ability to improve some quality traits of plant foodstuffs. Furthermore, in contrast to fungicides, they hardly select resistant pathogen strains and do not incur fitness costs for the plant.

From vineyard to glass: agrochemicals enhance the melatonin and total polyphenol contents and antiradical activity of red wines

Resistance inducers are a class of agrochemicals, including benzothiadiazole and chitosan, which activate the plant own defence mechanisms. In this work, open-field treatments with plant activators were performed on two red grape (Vitis vinifera L.) varieties cultivated in different localities, Groppello (Brescia, Lombardia, Italy) and Merlot (Treviso, Veneto, Italy). Treatments were carried out every 10 days until the véraison and, after harvesting, experimental wines (microvinificates) were prepared. In general, both melatonin and total polyphenol content, determined by mass spectrometry and Folin-Ciocalteu assay, respectively, were higher in wines produced from grapes treated with resistance inducers than in those obtained from untreated control and conventional fungicide-treated grapes. Accordingly, antiradical power of wines derived from plant activator-treated grapes, measured by both DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and the ABTS [(2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)] radical-scavenging assay, was higher than in their counterparts. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the effects of agrochemicals on the melatonin content of red wine.

Experimental approach for target selection of wild wine yeasts from spontaneous fermentation of “Inzolia” grapes

The aim of this research was the study of indigenous yeasts isolated from spontaneous fermentation of Inzolia grapes, one of the most widespread native white grapes in Sicily (Italy). The use of selective medium for the isolation and the screening for sulphur dioxide tolerance were useful for the first selection among 640 isolates. The yeasts characterized by high SO2 tolerance were identified at species level by restriction analysis of ITS region; although the majority of isolates were identified as S. cerevisiae, some non-Saccharomyces yeasts were found. Forty-seven selected yeasts, both S. cerevisiae and non-Saccharomyces yeasts, were characterized for genetic and technological diversity. The genetic polymorphism was evaluated by RAPD-PCR analysis, whereas the technological diversity was analyzed by determining the main secondary compounds in the experimental wines obtained by inoculating these yeasts. Both the molecular and metabolic profiles of selected yeasts were able to clearly discriminate S. cerevisiae from non-Saccharomyces yeasts. This research was useful for the constitution of a collection of selected indigenous yeast strains, including S. cerevisiae and non-Saccharomyces species possessing interesting enological traits. This collection represents a source of wild yeasts, among of which it is possible to select indigenous starters able to maintain the specific organoleptic characteristics of Inzolia wine.

Price estimation and economic evaluation of the production cost of red wines produced by immobilized cells on dried raisin berries

Price estimation and economic evaluation of the production cost of red wines produced by immobilized cells on dried raisin berries Argiris Tsakiris1, Kiriaki Sotirakoglou2, Panagiotis Kandylis3, Panagiotis Kaldis1, Constantina Tzia4, Yiannis Kourkoutas31Department of Oenology and Beverage Technology, Faculty of Food Technology and Nutrition, Technological Educational Institute of Athens, Athens, Greece; 2Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece; 3Applied Microbiology and Molecular Biotechnology Research Group, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece; 4Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Technology, School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Athens, GreeceAbstract: The aim of the study was initially to estimate the price of red wines produced by immobilized cells on dried raisin berries and subsequently to investigate whether the estimated price was sufficient to counterbalance the increased investment and operational costs required for industrial application of the novel biotechnological process. Price estimation of the experimental wines was based on the correlation of sensory quality, determined by a group of trained tasters, and the price of commercial wines available in a certain market. Application of principal component analysis (PCA) provided improved results over simple and exponential regression analysis, as only a part of the relationship between the two variables was represented (68.4% and 75.3%, respectively). However, with PCA the total variance explained by the two components was 100%. Taste was more important than aroma in determining sensory quality, and wine price was mainly affected by sensory quality rather than wine age in the Greek market. The total increase of production cost was estimated to be €0.032/bottle, which is significantly lower than the increase of €2.08/bottle price estimated by PCA for the red wines produced by immobilized cells, due to the improved aromatic potential compared with wines produced by free cells. Hence, profit for the wine industry was estimated to be €1.02/bottle.Keywords: wine market, sensory quality, regression analysis, price, PCA

DNA Fingerprinting Used for Testing Some Romanian Wine Varieties

The main goal of the present study was to isolate DNA both experimental and commercial wines in order to differentiate some Romanian grapevine cultivars (Tamâioasa Românesca, Galbena de Odobesti, Feteasca Neagra and Busuioaca de Bohotin) by PCR using wine as a sample. Extracted residual grape DNA quality and specificity were verified using co-dominant simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers (VVS2, VVMD27, VVMD5 and VVMD7). The results obtained in this research shows that even 18 months after wine fermentation could be detected residual DNA that can be suitable for DNA fingerprinting. The 12-month-old experimental wine samples were more amplified than the 18-month-old ones. Among the microsatellite tested, VVS2 and VVMD7 gave satisfactory results. The VVS2 marker, which generated the shortest PCR amplicons (119-138 bp), amplified all of the cultivars analyzed in the wines samples. In case of commercial wines authentication of grape material by PCR using wine as a biological material was unsuccessfully due to insufficient amount of residual DNA in samples analyzed.

Influence of Saccharomyces cerevisiae wine strains on total antioxidant capacity

The aromatic fraction of wines comprises a wide variety of compounds with different aromatic properties and antioxidant capacity, an important nutritional parameter. We selected Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains according to their ability to produce ethanol and chose 40 high ethanol-producing strains, all isolated from Nero d’Avola grapes, for testing in inoculated fermentations. The experimental wines obtained were analysed for total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and content of a number of by-products influencing wine aroma. The TAC in these 40 wines ranged from 0.625 to 3.3 mM/L ascorbic acid equivalents, and the wines could placed in three classes as a function of TAC, namely, low, medium, and high TAC. The majority of strains tested produced wines of the medium class, whereas only a few strains exhibited a high TAC. The strains that produced wines with an extremely low TAC are undesirable for use in the fermentation of Nero d’Avola grape must. Two fermentation by-products, acetic acid and isoamyl alcohol, were mainly responsible for wine variability. In terms of aromatic composition, strains determining low–medium TAC in the wines were characterized by a similar metabolic behaviour, which differed totally from that of strains determining a high TAC.

Control of inoculated fermentations in wine cellars by mitochondrial DNA analysis of starter yeast

The main purpose of this work was to test the effective dominance of the inoculated strain during the fermentation process. During this research activity, two Saccharomyces cerevisiae selected strains, isolated from Aglianico del Vulture grapes, were tested during inoculated fermentations at pilot scale in three wine cellars producing Aglianico del Vulture wine and characterized by different typologies. Yeast colonies sampled during the processes of fermentation were identified by restriction analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, and S. cerevisiae strains were differentiated by restriction fragment length polymorphism of mitochondrial DNA (RFLP-mtDNA). Analysis of the yeast population during the inoculated fermentations evidenced a significant presence of non-Saccharomyces, which varied with the cellar. The presence of non-Saccharomyces yeasts at different levels affected the aromatic composition of the experimental wines, as determined by gas-chromatographic analysis. The RFLP-mtDNA of S. cerevisiae isolates revealed the differing dominance of inoculated strains as a function of the wine cellar. In two cellars, all the isolates showed the same restriction profile, which was identical to that of the starter pattern. In contrast, in the third cellar, a significant percentage of S. cerevisiae isolates exhibited mtDNA-RFLP patterns different from the yeast starter profile, showing that, in this case, the starter exhibited low dominance in the fermentation. Our results demonstrate that, although the inoculated strains were found with high frequency, other yeasts (S. cerevisiae and non-Saccharomyces) developed, contributing to the fermentative process and to organoleptic quality of the final wine.