Abstract
This article emphasises the importance of making quantitative measurements of the growth of yeast species during wine fermentations. Although such studies confirm Saccharomyces cerevisiae as the principal wine yeast, they show that indigenous species of Kloeckera and Candida make a more significant contribution to the fermentation than previously thought. Inoculation of grape juice with S. cerevisiae does not necessarily suppress growth of these indigenous species, nor does it ensure that the inoculated strain will become dominant over indigenous strains of S. cerevisiae. Factors that affect growth of yeasts during fermentation are examined along with the related aspects of stuck fermentations, killer‐yeast activity and yeast autolysis. The contribution of non‐Saccharomyces yeasts to wine quality warrants more serious consideration.
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