Effect of yeast assimilable nitrogen on the synthesis of phenolic aroma compounds by Hanseniaspora vineae strains.

In several grape varieties, the dominating aryl alkyl alcohols found are the volatile group of phenylpropanoid-related compounds, such as glycosylated benzyl and 2-phenylethyl alcohol, which contribute to wine with floral and fruity aromas after being hydrolysed during fermentation. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is largely recognized as the main agent in grape must fermentation, but yeast strains belonging to other genera, including Hanseniaspora, are known to predominate during the first stages of alcoholic fermentation. Although non-Saccharomyces yeast strains have a well-recognized genetic diversity, understanding of their impact on wine flavour richness is still emerging. In this study, 11 Hansenisapora vineae strains were used to ferment a chemically defined simil-grape fermentation medium, resembling the nutrient composition of grape juice but devoid of grape-derived secondary metabolites. GC-MS analysis was performed to determine volatile compounds in the produced wines. Our results showed that benzyl alcohol, benzyl acetate and 2-phenylethyl acetate are significantly synthesized by H. vineae strains. Levels of these compounds found in fermentations with 11 H. vineae different strains were one or two orders of magnitude higher than those measured in fermentations with a known S. cerevisiae wine strain. The implications for winemaking in response to the negative correlation of benzyl alcohol, benzyl acetate and 2-phenylethyl acetate production with yeast assimilable nitrogen concentrations are discussed.