Same Yeast, Different Wines: Impact of Different Grape Variety Must Composition on Fermentation Dynamics and Wine Composition
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Polyphenols are major quality determinants in red wines, yet their reciprocal impact on yeast metabolism during alcoholic fermentation remains poorly characterized, particularly in natural grapes. This study investigated 32 red Vitis vinifera and hybrid cultivars to evaluate how polyphenolic diversity affects the fermentative behavior of Saccharomyces cerevisiae . Grape polyphenols, especially anthocyanins and tannins, were characterized at macroscopic and microscopic scales, and fermentations were conducted using a standardized microvinification protocol. Fermentative performance was assessed via the maximum CO 2 production rate ( V max ). Tannins exhibited a negative correlation with yeast fermentative capacity, independent of their degree of polymerization. Anthocyanins showed structure-dependent effects, with diglucosylated anthocyanins─typical of some hybrid cultivars─displaying the strongest negative correlation with V max . However, central carbon metabolism and aroma compound synthesis were mainly driven by must composition (sugar, acidity, and nitrogen). Analysis of grape skin cell wall polysaccharides suggests that pectins may modulate polyphenol extraction and, consequently, yeast fermentation dynamics.
Source: ACS Food Science & Technology
Authors: Andréa Cesson, Marie-Agnès Ducasse, Stéphanie Carrillo, Damien Flores, Bodil Jørgensen, Lene Grønne Pedersen, Faiza Macna, Emmanuelle Meudec, Valérie Nolleau, Marc Perez, Stéphanie Roi, Amélie Roy, Juliette Simon, Lucas Suc, Isabelle Sanchez, Thierry Doco, Céline Poncet-Legrand, Jean-Roch Mouret
Institutions: Institut Agro Montpellier, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement, Institut Français de la Vigne et du Vin, Sciences pour L’Œnologie, Unité Expérimentale de Pech Rouge, University of Copenhagen, Mathématiques, Informatique et Statistique pour l'Environnement et l'Agronomie
Language: English
Subfield: Food Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7162490316