Microbiology and wine: a look into the future

 

Lallemand Oenology organized on August 27^th in Mendoza, Argentina, and 28^th in Santiago do Chile, Chile two technical days. Both events were dedicated to microbiological tools applied to wines and both were a great success: 150 people from various wine Argentinian regions attended the Mendoza event and 100 people the event in Chile, mostly winemakers and technical wine professionals.

Innovations related to winemaking and beyond were paralleled with new consuming trends and wine sector evolution like the production of low SO₂ wines, crispier and fruitier wines, or the adaptation to climate change & sustainable practices at the vineyard and in the cellar.

Attendees found out how wine microbiology can help with different winegrowing practices; how enzymes are selected and which impacts they have on wines; the alcoholic fermentation and the diversity of yeast and yeast nutrients were also discussed and how these tools can help winemakers optimize their wine profile, while protecting it, or answer the issues posed by climate change ; in SO₂-use reducing strategies, which of our tools can help protect wines against oxidation; the biodiversity of wine bacteria and how they can impact wine sensory properties, apart from conducting and securing malolactic fermentation.

Practical cases and trials were presented to the audience. Tasting of 2019 wine trials were also organized to demonstrate the impact of a proper organic nutrition, of non-Saccharomyces yeasts and other tools to shape the profile of their regional wines.