Different Yeast Strain Effects on ‘King of the North’ Wine Chemical, Chromatic, and Descriptive Sensory Characteristics

‘King of the North’ (‘KON’), as a cold-hardy grape, has many advantages, such as tolerance to a wide range of soil conditions and harsh winter climate. Due to the adapting demand of North Dakota’s fruit and wine industry, optimized quality of wine from regionally productive grapevines is required. In this study, yeast strain, one of the primary fermentation tactics, was tested on ‘KON’ grapes. Five different commercial yeast strains, including 71B, EC1118, Maurivin B, Rhône 4600, and W15, were added to initiate fermentation. The analysis of grape must characteristics and the fermentation dynamic changes indicated a high correlation between color and acid metrics. Yeast strains have influenced the color dynamic changes and fermentation process. The panelist sensory evaluations confirmed that yeast strains contributed differently to the perceived aromas and flavors within ‘KON’ wines. Rose, apple, grape, and apricot aromas were distinguished in ‘KON’ wines. The lemon taste was the dominant flavor detected in ‘KON’ wines. However, wines were also varied based on the extent of the aroma or taste observed. Therefore, exploring the use of different yeast strains for fermentation provides information for further application to cold-hardy grape cultivars and other high-acid fruit, aiding winemakers in using North American grapes with diverse fruit chemistry.