Autolytic capacity and foam analysis as additional criteria for the selection of yeast strains for sparkling wine production

This study proposes a selection methodology for secondary fermentation yeas t strains for she production of sparkling wines, it began with 34 different yeast strains, mainly of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae species. The selecti on methodology was divided into four consecutive stages: (ir) a study of th e fermenting capacity of the strains under secondary fermentation condition s; (2) analysis of the most important enological characteristics of the str ains; (3) a study of the autolytic capacity of the yeast, and (4) analysis of the foaming properties of the autolysates obtained. Following this metho dology three strains were selected, with which three sparkling wines were p roduced by the Champenoise method. industrial sparkling wines were also pro duced with the commercial strain EC-1118, used as a control in this study, and with strain J, from the collection of the winery where the sparkling wi nes were prepared. The wines thus obtained were aged for 12 months in prese nce of the yeast The findings of the sensory analysis indicated that ail of the sparkling wines were good quality (C) 2001 Academic Press.