Impact of sequential co-culture fermentations on flavour characters of Solaris wines

Nowadays, the use of non-Saccharomyces yeasts in combination with Saccharomyces cerevisiae is being recognised to enhance the analytical composition of the wines. The aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of indigenous non-Saccharomyces yeasts on the flavour character of wines from the cool-climate grape cultivar Solaris in Denmark. The volatile and non-volatile compounds as well as the sensory properties of wines were evaluated. Solaris wines with Hanseniaspora uvarum sequentially inoculated with S. cerevisiae produced a larger amount of glycerol as well as heptyl acetate and 2-phenylethyl acetate. This co-culture fermentation also produced higher amounts of ethyl acetate and acetic acid, reducing the possibility of its use in winemaking. Three Metschnikowia strains, a M. chrysoperlae strain and two M. fructicola strains, gave a comparable production of volatile compounds. These wines were characterised by several floral and fruity attributes. The Metschnikowia strains turned out to be promising in winemaking from Solaris grapes.