Influence of the fermentation yeast strain on the composition of wine spirits

Fifteen indigenous strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, differentiated by their genetic polymorphism, were compared in standard conditions for their respective ability to produce volatile compounds during the alcoholic fermentation of grape must. The results were processed using analysis of variance and of principal components. They exhibited significant differences between strains, in particular for the higher alcohols, fatty acid esters, acetates or acetaldehyde. On the basis of their analytical profile, five strains were selected and compared on the pilot scale. Overall, the pilot results confirmed laboratory findings. As the strain effect appears to be determinant on the aromatic composition of wine spirits, a programme of selection based on both intraspecific molecular characterisation and chromatographic analysis is carried out to obtain specific yeast strains for high-quality spirits.