How to maximize the aromatic potential of wine

Beyond the fact that each grape variety has a DNA with primary aromas, within the winery yeasts, in addition to being vital in the transformation of sugar into alcohol, have the potential to impact the aromatic profile of the wine.

Color, aroma and flavor are the three variables that we usually analyze and, above all, enjoy every time we uncork a bottle of wine. Beyond the fact that current trends are increasingly moving towards wines with as little intervention as possible, it must be recognized that many wines that give us incredible aromatic potential do so thanks to the help of the beloved yeasts.

"It is true that the raw material has an aromatic potential to express towards the final product, but the physiology of the yeast is vital in the impact it has on the aromatic profile of the wine," explained winemaker Sergio Aloisio, regional manager for Latin America in the area of Fermentis wines (the business unit dedicated to the application of yeasts and microorganisms in general for the production of fermented beverages).

So, when the decision is made to add selected yeasts to the fermentation, it is essential to define if we want to increase the varietal aroma or if the yeast respects the varietal characteristics of the raw material. "If we have a technological wine made from high-yielding grapes or grapes that do not have a distinctive characteristic from the aromatic point of view and we want to use the tools offered by oenology to increase their amyl or fruity esters profile, we must take into account what material is available in order to make the desired objective come to fruition, or rather, to a good glass" detailed Aloisio, who added that "each strain of yeast has physiological and metabolic characteristics that are very different from each other, which they will make them work and express their metabolite conditions depending on the nutrient conditions in the medium and that will be directly related to the fermentation temperature conditions".

Beyond the fact that yeasts can help enhance the aroma of a wine, the expert clarified that not all yeasts have the ability to reveal the aromas of all the aromatic precursors that are present in the grape must and can be transformed into odorant molecules. .

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In the talk given by Fermentis Academy "Revealing the aromatic potential of grapes and wines" studies were shared that determined that in addition to the choice of the yeast strain in question, it is essential to choose the parameters of temperature, oxygen and nutrients to star in the wine fermentation for the production of aromatic esters.

For this, in a first empirical study, they worked with a 100-liter tank of Chardonnay must to which different yeast strains with very different characteristics were applied to observe the impact that each of these yeast strains had on same fermentation conditions -have on the final product. "From the point of view of the characteristics that have an impact on the sensory notes - with the focus on esters and higher alcohols - it was observed that in all strains there is a certain correlation in higher alcohols and acetates to throughout the fermentation. Of course, all determinations are qualitative and not quantitative, since everything is evaluated through sensory tasting because many times there is no direct correlation between sensory perception and the amount of a certain compound " explained Aloisio who underlined that taking into account the metabolic capacity of the yeast, the transformation towards one or another aromatic profile can be guided.

"From the sensory point of view, when tasting a wine, regardless of the concentration of the component being analyzed, there is a chemical balance between biosynthesis and the degradation of compounds that are related to physical phenomena, many of them at the ability or inability for these volatile compounds to remain in the wine and, depending on the yeast, to produce a certain concentration of an odorous compound" deepened the expert who exemplified that a strain with a higher concentration of esters than acetates results in an aromatic profile that will remind you more of pear or pineapple in compote. But he clarified that many times from the point of view of sensory perception what stands out are other compounds that are in lower concentration. "Therefore, regardless of the concentration of odoriferous compounds, some other compounds that have a more significant impact often stand out. Because there may be other esters with very high concentrations but they do not have an impact on the final aroma of the wine tested. So there is a relationship between the chemical balance and the degradation or the ability to retain the concentration of that aroma and even though there is often a high concentration, the perception is not always the one that manifests itself.Everything will depend on the physiology of the yeast, the temperature of the fermentation, the addition of nutrients and the volatility of the analyzed element and that it is intended to perceive".

So, doesn't everything we smell in a wine always originate naturally thanks to the choice of the raw material? In the production of traditional wines, in addition to yeasts, there are endless other additives that allow winemakers to mold the wine according to the commercial profile that they want to produce.

In this sense, many winemakers make the most of the oenological solutions available to enhance the final result of each wine. "From a sensory point of view, the SafOena SH12 yeast is certainly a suitable yeast for Sauvignon Blanc since it increases the typical varietal aromas, where grapefruit and thiols are very present. Although the origin of the grape is important, I can confirm that we have achieved the typical descriptors of Sauvignon Blanc very well and a lot has to do with the selected yeast" says Mauricio Lorca, owner of Bodega Lorca and partner of Bodega Foster, in Mendoza, Argentina.