Dear Colleagues,

Wine is a fermented beverage with fundamental global socio-economic relevance. Fermentative steps related to wine production are accompanied by complex biological processes, mainly relying on biochemical interactions between grape must and diverse microorganisms such as fungi, yeasts, and bacteria.

Non-Saccharomyces yeasts promote the spontaneous alcoholic fermentation (AF), and, subsequently, Saccharomyces cerevisiae proliferates, dominating and completing this crucial fermentative phase. Even though several non-Saccharomyces species are still considered spoilage microorganisms, numerous non-Saccharomyces strains, in recent years, have been studied and were demonstrated to enhance the chemical, physical, and sensory properties of the produced wines. The term ‘malolactic fermentation (MLF)’ refers to the bioconversion of L-malic acid into L-lactic acid and CO₂, as a result of the malolactic bacteria metabolism in wine. Oenococcus oeni strains mainly carry out the MLF, but also other lactic bacteria, such as Lactoplantibacillus plantarum have displayed their ability to promote MLF in wine. Finally, in wines, several undesired microorganisms can depreciate wine quality and safety, with losses in production and possible negative impacts on human health.

The concept of “microbial terroir” is receiving growing attention in modern winemaking. Recently, great emphasis has been placed on the preservation and characterization of indigenous microflora associated with a specific terroir to enhance the typicity of Regional and National productions. The employment of selected autochthonous non-Saccharomyces species together with S. cerevisiae and, eventually, with malolactic bacteria indigenous strains, has been suggested to reproduce the addressable aromatic complexity of spontaneous fermentations, thus enhancing wine chemical and sensory attributes. This Special Issue will highlight the most recent advances in the following subjects:

• Wine microbiology;
• Yeast and lactic acid bacteria metabolism in wine;
• Alcoholic fermentation;
• Malolactic fermentation;
• Evaluation of commercial starter cultures in oenology;
• Study of autochthonous microbes associated with specific grapevine varieties and terroirs;
• Microbial impact on wine chemistry;
• Microbial resources and wine aging;
• Microbial resources and wine stability;
• Microbes, wine chemicals, and sensory analysis;
• Microbial spoilers, wine depreciation, and wine off-flavors;
• Undesired microbes and wine safety.

Dr. Francesco Grieco
Dr. Vittorio Capozzi
Dr. Carmen Berbegal
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Fermentation is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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• Alcoholic fermentation
• malolactic fermentation
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae
• non-Saccharomyces species
• lactic acid bacteria
• fermentation starters
• wine quality
• wine spoilage
• wine safety