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ThirtyFifty - Hens

Wine News

Yeast find lifts fruity zing of NZ Sauvignon Blanc

Researchers in New Zealand have discovered a wild yeast that increases the fruity qualities of Sauvignon Blanc.

The find could give winemakers a tool to alter wine style as the yeast lifts the gooseberry, passion fruit and grapefruit flavours that are so important to the country’s Sauvignons. Not only that, but it also increases mouthfeel and complexity, ‘And we hope that it makes a more sophisticated wine,’ lead researcher Dr Mat Goddard of Auckland University told ThirtyFifty.

The find came about as part of a six-year New Zealand Government-funded research programme, which is seeking to understand what makes kiwi Sauvignon Blanc the way it is. Mat explained that he works closely with Michael Brajkovich at Kumeu River, who conducts traditional ferments – he adds no yeasts but lets whatever is naturally present conduct the ferment. Among Kumeu River’s diversity of wild yeasts, they discovered the fruit-flavour-boosting Pichia kluyveri.

Although the yeast only produces small amounts of alcohol, Mat says this is not an issue since it is not intended to be used on its own, only in combination with the traditional wine-making yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, with which it interacts to create a more diverse and complex wine.

Commercial trials using the yeast, which has been patented, are now underway at several Marlborough vineyards, including Saint Clair, Delegat’s, Nobilo, Forrest Estate and Pernod-Ricard New Zealand.

And when are we likely to see these more zingily fruity Sauvignons? Mat cautiously says, ‘If the commercial trials are successful and if we can supply this at commercial scales, we may see wine on the shelves in two to three vintages.’