Use of grape racemes from Grillo cultivar to increase the acidity level of sparkling base wines produced with different Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains

Abstract

The most important oenological characteristics of high-quality sparkling wines are aromatic aspect, taste persistence, perlage, high levels of acidity and low pH. Due to hot climate and reduced rainfall that characterize Sicily region, white grape varieties such as Grillo cultivar cultivated in this area are characterized by very low concentrations of malic and tartaric acids. Grillo cultivar is characterized by an intense production of raceme grapes with low pH and high content of tartaric and malic acids. These fruits possess the chemical properties useful to increase the amounts of acids in the final wines. With this in mind, the present research was carried out to test the ability of four Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains (CS182, GR1, MSE13 and MSE41) to ferment a raceme must with a pH of 2.9 at two concentrations (14 and 16 Babo degree) of total sugars. The inoculation of the strains was performed after a preadaptation at pH 2.5. The chemical parameters and kinetics of the fermentations were monitored. The experimental sparkling base wines were characterized by a very high total acidity with 16-17 g/L of tartaric acid and 9-10 g/L of malic acids. On the other hand, ethanol was detected at low values in the range 9-10% (v/v). The base wine obtained with GR1differed in their high acidity values, whereas trials inoculated with CS182 showed more intense odors and exotic fruit. Experimental wines produced in this study represent an innovative strategy for "blending wines" to produce sparkling wines in dry Mediterranean climate.

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

“…Catechin and epicatechin levels of 3.52-5.80 mg/L and 1.56-2.15 mg/L, respectively, were measured in sparkling wines made with Sauvignon blanc, Riesling Renano, Pinot Grigio, Pinot noir, and Chardonnay [7]. These studies show that non-vinifera grape varieties could enable sparkling wine production in latitudes where V. vinifera cultivars are more sensitive to different pests, environmental stresses and/or high annual rainfall [15].…”

“…Organoleptic analyses of grape musts and base wines produced with various non-conventional grape varieties (Table 2) have shown highly valuable chemical and sensory profiles for the production of white, rosé, and red sparkling wines (Table 3), comparable to those obtained by using the gold standard grape varieties (Table 1) [3,4,41]. In addition to market innovation, the use of alternative grape cultivars would enable, for example, development of this industry in geographic areas where climatic conditions do not allow more conventional grape cultivars to reach optimal grape maturity [15]. Conventional grape cultivars for sparkling wine production are shown in gray; 1 Premature and 2 mature Tempranillo grapes; ND: not determined.…”

“…In warm and dry climates, like traditional Mediterranean winemaking regions, harvesting at optimal grape maturity may be associated with insufficient acidity for sparkling wine production [39,40]. Innovative base wines manufactured with Maresco and Grillo grape musts, however, show high total acidity even when fully ripened grapes are used [15,17]. Maresco grapes, a minor variety grown in the Apulia region of Italy, besides high acidity values, also showed floral, fruity, and fatty notes, as a result of the presence of linalool and phenyl acetate (floral descriptors), isoamyl acetate, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl octanoate, and ethyl decanoate (fruity descriptors), and octanoic acid (fatty descriptors) [17].…”

“…Maresco grapes, a minor variety grown in the Apulia region of Italy, besides high acidity values, also showed floral, fruity, and fatty notes, as a result of the presence of linalool and phenyl acetate (floral descriptors), isoamyl acetate, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl octanoate, and ethyl decanoate (fruity descriptors), and octanoic acid (fatty descriptors) [17]. Sicilian Grillo grape musts, also from a dry Mediterranean region, have shown optimal concentrations of tartaric and malic acids, with the experimentally produced wines presenting remarkable values of total acidity and low pH values (Table 3) [15]. Similarly, in tropical semi-arid winemaking regions in Northeastern Brazil (i.e., São Francisco Valley), Syrah and Chenin Blanc are adapted varieties for the production of high quality sparkling wines (Table 4) [11].…”

Moscato Cerletti, a rediscovered aromatic cultivar with oenological potential in warm and dry areas

“…Many varieties from southern Europe will therefore no longer be adapted to warm and dry climates, and new strategies for vineyard management and oenological processes will need to be applied in the face of climate change (Scafidi et al, 2013;Palliotti et al, 2017;Alfonzo et al, 2020;Frioni et al, 2020b).…”