Effect of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Yeast Strains on the Liberation of Volatile Thiols in Sauvignon blanc Wine

Abstract

The ability of four industrial yeast strains from the species Saccharomyces cerevisiae to release certain Sauvignon blanc aromas from their cysteinylated precursors was studied. The comparison was made both in a model medium and in must under the normal winemaking conditions in four Bordeaux wineries. The quantification of the volatile thiols released into the model medium and the wines showed statistically significant differences among the various yeast strains regarding the formation of 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one and 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-ol.