Toward Less Energy‐Consuming Alcoholic Fermentations in Oenology: A Laboratory‐Scale Case Study

ABSTRACT Alcoholic fermentation is an exothermic process where temperature plays a crucial role in controlling the fermentation dynamics and the quality of the final product in wineries. Temperature regimes are typically predefined, with low‐temperature isothermal programs (ranging from 12°C to 18°C) being employed to produce white and rosé wines. These conditions foster the development and preservation of volatile compounds, but they also result in extended fermentation durations, an increased risk of fermentation interruption, and significant energy consumption. Thus, using non‐isothermal temperature programs that promote yeast growth, shorten the fermentation duration, and do not compromise product quality is a relevant strategy to use in view of limiting electricity consumption. In this study, we explored the effects of different temperature programs on fermentation kinetics, metabolite production, and volatile compound profiles across nine commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains in synthetic media with varying sugar concentrations. We incorporated an intuition‐driven, time‐varying temperature profile (TVAR), initiating at an elevated temperature to accelerate fermentation and subsequently decreasing to enhance volatile compound production. Compared to static temperatures (12°C, 18°C, and 25°C), the TVAR program accelerated fermentation, particularly in low‐sugar media, while maintaining or improving levels of volatile compounds. We found that the TVAR program enhanced the synthesis of acetate esters, ethyl hexanoate, and ethyl acetate while reducing acetate levels. Strain‐specific responses and sugar content influenced results, highlighting the multiparametric nature of fermentation control and the need for precise temperature management in industrial applications. This work provides valuable data for developing automated tools to optimize fermentation in the wine industry.