Quality and Composition of Red Wine Fermented with Schizosaccharomyces pombe as Sole Fermentative Yeast, and in Mixed and Sequential Fermentations with Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Santiago Benito¹*, Felipe Palomero², Laura Gálvez³, Antonio Morata², Fernando Calderón², Daniel Palmero³ and José Antonio Suárez-Lepe<sup>2

1</sup>Department of Science and Technology Applied to Agricultural Engineering, University School of Agricultural Engineering, Polytechnic University of Madrid, University Campus S/N, 28040 Madrid, Spain
²Department of Food Technology, High Technical School of Agricultural Engineering, Polytechnic University of Madrid, University Campus S/N, 28040 Madrid, Spain
³Department of Plant Production: Botany and Plant Protection, University School of Agricultural Engineering, Polytechnic University of Madrid, University Campus S/N, 28040 Madrid, Spain

Article history:
Received February 6, 2013
Accepted March 21, 2014

Key words:
Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, malic acid, pyruvic acid, urea

Summary:
This work examines the physiology of Schizosaccharomyces pombe (represented by strain 938) in the production of red wine, as the sole fermentative yeast, and in mixed and sequential fermentations with Saccharomyces cerevisiae 796. For further comparison, fermentations in which Saccharomyces cerevisiae was the sole fermentative yeast were also performed; in these fermentations a commercial lactic acid bacterium was used to perform malolactic fermentation once alcoholic fermentation was complete (unlike S. cerevisiae, the Sc. pombe performs maloalcoholic fermentation and therefore removes malic acid without such help). Relative density, acetic, malic and pyruvic acid concentrations, primary amino nitrogen and urea concentrations, and pH of the musts were measured over the entire fermentation period. In all fermentations in which Sc. pombe 938 was involved, nearly all the malic acid was consumed from an initial concentration of 5.5 g/L, and moderate acetic acid concentrations below 0.4 g/L were formed. The urea content of these wines was notably lower, showing a tenfold reduction when compared with those that were made with S. cerevisiae 796 alone. The sensorial properties of the different final wines varied widely. The wines fermented with Sc. pombe 938 had maximum aroma intensity and quality, and they were preferred by the tasters.

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