Dr
Vincenzo Naselli
(Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences (SAAF), University of Palermo, Viale Delle Scienze, Building 5, Ent. C, 90128, Palermo, Italy)
The compositional changes in grapes caused by global warming are compromising the quality of wines in Mediterranean regions. Recent studies have shown that hot vintages and severe water stress lead to an increase in pH and a decrease in the acidity of grapes. These phenomena are one of the main causes of changes in the acidity and sensory profiles of wines. To date, the production sector has already intervened by adding exogenous additives to mitigate these effects.
However, these practices are corrective measures associated with a significant environmental impact and possible negative effects on the sensory profile of wine. The aim of this work is to identify more sustainable solutions through the use of Lachancea thermotolerans strains.
In this context, L. thermotolerans represents a promising biotechnological strategy for adaptive fermentation management in warm and arid regions.
This study applied an integrated experimental approach to evaluate the acidifying and aromatic contribution of four L. thermotolerans strains (codes LT-A, LT-B, LT-C and LT-D), inoculated in microbial consortia with Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum.
The influence of inoculation timing on technological, aromatic and sensory parameters of Sicilian Syrah wines was also assessed.
All strains showed bioacidification capacity, with LT-D achieving a maximum pH reduction of 0.68 units, exceeding chemical acidification and producing 5.96–12.10 g/L of L-lactic acid.
LT-B significantly improved the biosynthesis of fruity ethyl esters, including ethyl hexanoate, ethyl octanoate and ethyl decanoate.
The timing of inoculation had a greater impact on the aromatic composition than on technological parameters, as confirmed by sensory analysis.
Wines produced with the LT-A strain, with sequential inoculation at 48 hours (LT1 trial), achieved higher aromatic intensity and overall appreciation than those inoculated after 72 hours (LT5 trial).
Overall, these results demonstrate that strain selection combined with optimized inoculation timing enables precision modulation of acidity and aroma, supporting the use of non-Saccharomyces yeasts as sustainable climate-adaptive tools for Mediterranean winemaking.
Dr
Vincenzo Naselli
(Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences (SAAF), University of Palermo, Viale Delle Scienze, Building 5, Ent. C, 90128, Palermo, Italy)
Prof.
Antonella Maria Maggio
(Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Viale Delle Scienze, Building 17 Parco d’Orleans II, 90128, Palermo, Italy)
Dr
Antonino Pirrone
(Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences (SAAF), University of Palermo, Viale Delle Scienze, Building 5, Ent. C, 90128, Palermo, Italy)
Dr
Antonio Alfonzo
(Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences (SAAF), University of Palermo, Viale Delle Scienze, Building 5, Ent. C, 90128, Palermo, Italy)
Dr
Azzurra Vella
(Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences (SAAF), University of Palermo, Viale Delle Scienze, Building 5, Ent. C, 90128, Palermo, Italy)
Prof.
Daniela Fracassetti
(Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via G. Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy)
Dr
Enrico Viola
(Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences (SAAF), University of Palermo, Viale Delle Scienze, Building 5, Ent. C, 90128, Palermo, Italy)
Prof.
Giancarlo Moschetti
(Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences (SAAF), University of Palermo, Viale Delle Scienze, Building 5, Ent. C, 90128, Palermo, Italy)
Prof.
Giuseppe Blaiotta
(Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici, Italy)
Dr
Irene Dolce
(Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences (SAAF), University of Palermo, Viale Delle Scienze, Building 5, Ent. C, 90128, Palermo, Italy)
Prof.
Luca Settanni
Dr
Micaela Carusi
(Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences (SAAF), University of Palermo, Viale Delle Scienze, Building 5, Ent. C, 90128, Palermo, Italy)
Prof.
Nicola Francesca
(Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences (SAAF), University of Palermo, Viale Delle Scienze, Building 5, Ent. C, 90128, Palermo, Italy)
Prof.
Raimondo Gaglio
(Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences (SAAF), University of Palermo, Viale Delle Scienze, Building 5, Ent. C, 90128, Palermo, Italy)
Prof.
Stéphanie Weidmann
(Procédés Alimentaires et Microbiologiques (PAM), AgroSup Dijon, PAM UMR A 02.102, Laboratoire VAlMiS-IUVV, Dijon, France)
Dr
Valentina Craparo
(Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences (SAAF), University of Palermo, Viale Delle Scienze, Building 5, Ent. C, 90128, Palermo, Italy)
Prof.
Vasileios Englezos
(Interdepartmental Centre for Grapevines and Wine Sciences, University of Turin, Corso Enotria 2/C, 12051 Alba, Italy)
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