Monitoring yeast autolysis in sparkling wines from nine consecutive vintages produced by the traditional method

Abstract

Background and Aims: Yeast autolysis is a key step in the production of sparkling wines using the traditional method and a source of polysaccharides, mannoproteins and proteins. The evidence, however, of the enrichment of these macromolecules during ageing is not evident in the literature. In this study, autolysis of yeast lees in sparkling wines (Cava) was monitored over nine consecutive vintages. Methods and Results: The concentration of polysaccharides and proteins did not clearly increase over time, probably because these macromolecules are simultaneously released from lees and removed by other processes. In a new approach, the autolytic process was reproduced, and involved recovering the lees and maintaining them in a model wine solution for 1 year. The lees released polysaccharides and proteins, but only a small proportion of that found in the sparkling wines, especially in younger wines. Conclusions: This study confirmed that yeast enrich sparkling wines in key macromolecules but in low proportion in comparison with the usual concentration present in sparkling wine. This aspect should be considered by wineries that aim to achieve autolysis attributes, since the majority of sparkling wines are commercialised after short periods of ageing. Significance of the Study: This study determined for the first time the true contribution of yeast autolysis to the total polysaccharide and protein concentration of sparkling wines from nine consecutive vintages.

Comparison of ancestral and traditional methods for elaborating sparkling wines

“…Furthermore, the one-to-one comparison between the ΔE ab * values of the three sparkling wines at twelve months of ageing with their corresponding ones at six months generated values of higher than 3 units, which indicate that the human eye can easily distinguish between them. Similar results have been previously reported ( Pons-Mercadé et al, 2022 ; Serra-Cayuela et al, 2013 ), confirming a fact that winemakers know well: the longer the ageing time, the more intense the yellow colour ( Kanavouras et al, 2020 ).…”

“…In contrast, all the sparkling wines at twelve months of ageing showed significantly higher total protein concentration than their corresponding wines at six months of ageing. This increase in total proteins can be easily explained by the yeast autolysis that takes place once alcoholic fermentation is finished ( Alexandre and Guilloux-Benatier, 2006 ; Kemp et al, 2015 ; Pons-Mercadé et al, 2022 ). It should be noted that this increase in protein concentration was observed in all the molecular weight fractions.…”

“…It is logical that the concentration of total polysaccharides would increase over time due to the autolysis of the yeasts. In fact, some authors have reported an increase in polysaccharide and/or mannoprotein concentration in sparkling wines during ageing ( Charpentier, 2000 ; Pons-Mercadé et al, 2022 ). However, other authors did not find any increase ( Martínez-Lapuente et al, 2016 ) or others have even reported a decrease in polysaccharides with ageing of sparkling wines ( Martínez-Lapuente et al, 2013 ; Moreno-Arribas et al, 2000 ).…”

Effect of Interspecific Yeast Hybrids for Secondary In-Bottle Alcoholic Fermentation of English Sparkling Wines

“…When looking at the polysaccharide content (Table 5), the three wines showed total values in line with those reported in the literature [36,37]. For this parameter, the role of the yeast strain was less important than that observed for the proteins.…”

Innovations in Sparkling Wine Production: A Review on the Sensory Aspects and the Consumer’s Point of View

“…The authors did not carry out a sensory analysis of the wines. The Spanish study of Pons-Mercadé et al [33] on Cava wines contradicted the expected release of polysaccharides and proteins due to lees autolysis. The authors wrote that these macromolecules are simultaneously released from lees and removed by precipitation, absorption, and/or enzymatic degradation.…”