Impact of native S. cerevisiae and non-Saccharomyces yeasts in chemical, aromatic, and sensory profiles of Carricante wines

The Etna region has recently emerged as a producer of excellent wine, and autochthonous yeasts are gaining recognition for enhancing wine's aromatic complexity. The present study aimed at evaluating the effect of indigenous yeasts, such as Hanseniaspora uvarum and Starmerella bacillaris, used in sequential fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae, on the Carricante grape variety through the evaluation of sugars, target organic acids, ethanol content, aromatic compounds, and sensory attributes. Results: indicated that the alcoholic fermentation with St. bacillaris or H. uvarum and native S. cerevisiae showed the fastest kinetics, completing within 12 days, in samples inoculated with H. uvarum and the commercial S. cerevisiae strain it took 14 days, whereas must inoculated with St. bacillaris and commercial S. cerevisiae showed a slight slower fermentation. The volatile profiles included 55 compounds, mainly alcohol and esters. Phenylethyl alcohol was significantly higher in wines fermented with St. bacillaris, wines fermented with H. uvarum showed higher ester content. These distinct metabolic contributions underline the complementary roles of yeasts in promoting the expression of terroir and shaping wines with unique aromatic profiles. Moreover, wines fermented with H. uvarum exhibited higher sensory satisfaction, confirming that fermentation strategies can affect volatile compound profiles and enhance both sensory quality and market acceptance.