The use of selected yeasts for winemaking has clear advantages over traditional spontaneous fermentation. Selection of wine yeasts is usually carried out within the Saccharomyces cerevisiae species. Yeast strains produce different amount of secondary compounds that impart specific characteristics to the wines. This suggests that it is necessary to isolate naturally occuring autochthone strains, which exhibit a metabolic profile that corresponds to each wine. Twenty two strains of S.cerevisiae, isolated from the Kutjevo region (Gornji and Donji Hrnjevec, Mitrovac), Graševina grapes, were tested for: fermentation vigor, ethanol resistance, volatile acidity, H2S production and β-glucosidase, polygalacturonase, and killer activity. From the results of this investigation we are able to select two yeast strains (RO 1272 and RO 1284) for more detailed fermentation trials and possible use as a starter culture in production of typical wines.

strain selection; wine; Saccharomyces; Graševina

Published by University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagreb, CROATIA
Sponsored by Ministry Science and Education of the Republic of Croatia