Non-Conventional Grape Varieties and Yeast Starters for First and Second Fermentation in Sparkling Wine Production Using the Traditional Method

Abstract

Sparkling wine production using the traditional method involves a second fermentation of still wines in bottles, followed by prolonged aging on lees. The key factors affecting the organoleptic profiles of these wines are the grape varieties, the chemical and sensory attributes of the base wines elaborated, the yeast strains used for first and second fermentation, and the winery practices. While Chardonnay and Pinot noir are gold standard grape varieties in sparkling wine production, other valuable grape cultivars are used worldwide to elaborate highly reputable sparkling wines. Fundamental research on the chemical and sensory profiles of innovative sparkling wines produced by the traditional method, using non-conventional grape varieties and novel yeast strains for first and/or second fermentation, is accompanying their market diversification. In this review, we summarize relevant aspects of sparkling wine production using the traditional method and non-conventional grape varieties and yeast starters.

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

“…Eder and Rosa published another review in 2021 [12] that summarized relevant aspects of sparkling wine production using the Traditional method and non-conventional grape varieties and yeast starters for first and second fermentation. The authors argued that non-conventional grape varieties and novel or indigenous yeast starters are associated with the innovation and diversification of producing high-quality sparkling wines.…”

“…The same group studied the effect of mannoproteins on the evolution of rosé sparkling wines produced with Merlot grapes during over-lees aging with the chemical characterization of polyphenols, organic acids, macro-and microelements using a combined analytical approach [50]. The red cultivar Syrah is used to produce sparkling wines in Australia and Brazil [12,51].…”

Trends in Reducing the Effects of Global Warming: Applications of Reverse Osmosis to Obtain Sparkling Wines with Moderate Alcohol Concentrations

“…Some studies center on accelerating yeast autolysis, while other authors suggest choosing strains with strong autolytic capacity, combining positive and negative strains with killer factor, and administering liqueur de tirage made with exhausted yeast [9,27]. Another option would be the combination of strains with different autolytic capacity [28]. In this respect, exploiting non-Saccharomyces yeasts in combination with Saccharomyces strains is worth considering [29].…”

Microbial Resources and Sparkling Wine Differentiation: State of the Arts

“…Although many yeast starter strains for sparkling wine production are commercially available nowadays, together with the attention to the selection of indigenous S. cerevisiae, there is a growing interest in non-Saccharomyces yeasts able to exalt the sensory properties of the final products [13]. However, the beneficial effects of non-Saccharomyces (e.g., Torulaspora delbrueckii, Pichia kluyveri, Lachancea thermotolerans, and Metschnikowia pulcherrima) on still wines have been widely discussed in the literature; there is little scientific evidence regarding their impact in the production of sparkling wines (Table 4).…”