Exploring the oenological potential of South African <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i> isolates

Over the past fifty years, numerous yeast strains have been selected for the wine industry in a quest to address increasingly specific organoleptic requirements. Indeed, challenges such as the ever-evolving consumer preferences and climate change require the industry to continuously innovate. Interestingly, despite fermentation capabilities and metabolic pathways being mostly conserved across Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains, differing intraspecific metabolite production offers never-ending opportunities to meet the industry’s demands while enhancing our knowledge of this biodiversity. This study documented selected oenological phenotypic characteristics driven by red wine consumer trends of a collection of S. cerevisiae strains collected by the South African Grape and Wine Research Institute. It focussed on the uncharacterised strains’ IRC7 genotype, fermentation kinetics, metabolite production, varietal thiol production, and overall sensory profile of wines. Strain-dependent differences were observed, discovering unique chemical and sensory profiles that contribute to the deeper understanding of the yeast biodiversity within the Stellenbosch region. The distinct strains identified and characterised hold the potential for novel wines that meet the contemporary demands for unique sensorial experiences. This study aids in responding to current consumer trends as well as contributing to the conversation on the importance of natural isolates in sustaining and revitalising the dynamic landscape of the wine industry.