Non-Saccharomyces yeasts in ternary culture fermentations as a biotechnology to improve quality in warm climate wines = Fermentaciones ternarias con levaduras no-saccharomyces como estrategia biotecnológica para mejorar la calidad organoléptica de vinos de zonas cálidas

Abstract

Changes in climate patterns have produced modifications in Vitis vinifera grapes maturation processes, especially in recent years, with an impact on the winemaking technology. Microbiological strategies may represent alternatives to mitigate the negative effects that climate change can produce on vines and grapes. Yeast species like Torulaspora delbrueckii and Metschnikowia pulcherrima with important enzymatic activity and, strains of the species Lachancea thermotolerans with the potential to produce large amounts of lactic acid during fermentation may be used in mixed cultures as starters in winemaking to modify the whole sensory perception after an increase in lactic acid production. The final alcoholic volume is achieved by the use of highfermentative power yeasts strains from the species Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The overall perception of these ongoing experimental wines is expected to be translated into less astringent and slightly more acidic wines with floral and fruity notes often not associated to these types of wine. Such sensory profile may be perceived as freshness by consumers. Important to mention is the fact that having wines with lower pH values may also imply the use of less dosages of SO2 as antimicrobial adjuvant also translated into the production of red wines with interesting color profiles