Title: “The role of yeast in grape flavor development during fermentation: The example of Sauvignon blanc”

• We know that aromatic compounds from the grapes themselves are important for quality and regional character. But whereas some varieties (like the Muscats) produce musts with similar aromas to those of the resulting wines, the musts of the majority of varieties are practically odorless. This is true for Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Sauvignon blanc, Semillon, Pinot noir, Gamay, Chardonnay, and Chenin blanc, among others. Which lead Peynaud to say in 1980, “It is the winemaking that reveals the aroma hidden in the fruit. The wine tastes more of fruits than the grape does. Fermentation acts to reveal aroma by liberating the aroma compounds in the grape”. As Louis Pasteur had already stated in 1876, “The taste and properties of the wine could depend on the special nature of yeasts which develop during the fermentation of the grapes”.