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Microorganisms
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Microbiology of the Grape-Wine System
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Microbiology of the Grape-Wine System

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2025 | Viewed by 5877

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Aspasia Nisiotou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Technology of Agricultural Products, Hellenic Agricultural Organization “DIMITRA”, Sofokli Venizelou 1, GR-14123 Lykovryssi, Athens, Greece
Interests: food and wine microbiology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Georgios Banilas

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Wine, Vine and Beverage Sciences, University of West Attica, Ag. Spyridona Str., 12243 Athens, Greece
Interests: plant molecular biology; biotechnology of the grape-wine system
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is no exaggeration to say that wine is predominantly made in the vineyard rather than in the winery. The quality of the grape must (juice) is shaped by physical, chemical, and biological interactions that are critical to sustaining plant growth and development. The grapevine harbors a diverse microbial community, including bacteria, fungi, and yeasts, that can impact the vine's health and productivity. Numerous microorganisms found in vineyards are also important for pre- and post-harvest grape quality and thus may shape the organoleptic characteristics of wine. In the winery, when the grapes are crushed, the yeasts residing on the berry skin begin to ferment the must. Thus, the native microflora conducting the alcoholic fermentation has already been established in the vineyard.

Winegrowing (vine-growing along with winemaking) includes complex microbial processes that take place both in the vineyard and the winery. Both ecosystems are tightly interconnected and may be studied as a unique biological system that could be called the grape-wine system. Overall, the study of microbiology in the grape-wine system, covering various aspects related to the structure and function of the grapevine- or wine-associated microbial communities relevant to winemaking, is critical for the optimization of wine quality, the development of new wine products, and the sustainability of the wine industry. Authors are invited to submit original research articles from all areas of the above topics, such as microbial biogeography, structure and function of microbial communities, microbe–microbe interactions, plant–microbe interactions, and wine-omics. We are looking forward to your contributions.

Dr. Aspasia Nisiotou
Dr. Georgios Banilas
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • yeasts
  • bacteria
  • wine
  • grapevine
  • viticulture
  • microbial terroir
  • microbial ecology
  • metagenomics
  • metabolomics
  • microbial biogeography
  • microbiome
  • microbial communities
  • microbial interactions
  • plant–microbe interactions
  • winemaking

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 1184 KiB  
Article
Yeast Diversity in Wine Grapes from Japanese Vineyards and Enological Traits of Indigenous Saccharomyces cerevisiae Strains
by Kaito Shibayama, Kozue Kondo and Misa Otoguro
Microorganisms 2024, 12(9), 1769; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12091769 - 26 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1478
Abstract
Japan has numerous vineyards with distinct geographical and climatic conditions. To the best of our knowledge, there is no comprehensive analysis of the diversity of yeasts associated with wine grapes from Japan. This study aimed to determine yeast diversity in wine grapes from [...] Read more.
Japan has numerous vineyards with distinct geographical and climatic conditions. To the best of our knowledge, there is no comprehensive analysis of the diversity of yeasts associated with wine grapes from Japan. This study aimed to determine yeast diversity in wine grapes from four wine-producing regions in Japan and to evaluate the physicochemical characteristics of wines produced with indigenous Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains isolated from two regions. A total of 2648 strains were isolated from nine wine grape samples. MALDI-TOF MS and 26S rDNA sequence analyses revealed that the strains belonged to 21 non-Saccharomyces yeasts and 1 Saccharomyces yeast (S. cerevisiae). Non-Saccharomyces yeasts were found in high quantities and were highly distributed among the wine grape samples. Differences in the distribution of the identified yeast species were noted among the different wine grape varieties and regions. Indigenous S. cerevisiae strains of different genotypes from different regions exhibit distinct physiological traits. Our findings are expected to enhance our understanding of the local yeasts associated with Japanese vineyards and contribute to obtaining cultures that can provide region-specific organoleptic characteristics to local wines produced in Japan. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbiology of the Grape-Wine System)
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13 pages, 2021 KiB  
Article
The Impact of the Inoculation of Different Pied de Cuve on the Chemical and Organoleptic Profiles of Wines
by Katherine Bedoya, Albert Mas, Nicolas Rozès, Carla Jara and María del Carmen Portillo
Microorganisms 2024, 12(8), 1655; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12081655 - 13 Aug 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1051
Abstract
Controlling the microorganisms involved in alcoholic fermentation during wine production can be achieved by adding a small quantity of spontaneously fermenting must to freshly crushed grapes, a technique known as pied de cuve (PdC). This method not only serves as an inoculation starter [...] Read more.
Controlling the microorganisms involved in alcoholic fermentation during wine production can be achieved by adding a small quantity of spontaneously fermenting must to freshly crushed grapes, a technique known as pied de cuve (PdC). This method not only serves as an inoculation starter but also enhances the microbial footprint unique to each wine region. Recent studies have confirmed that wines inoculated with PdC exhibit efficient fermentation kinetics comparable to those inoculated with commercial strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. However, further research is required to draw robust conclusions about the chemical and sensory impacts of PdC-inoculated wines. In this study, we examined the chemical and sensory effects of the PdC technique across three different harvests: Muscat of Alexandria (Spain, harvests 2022 and 2023) and Sauvignon Blanc (Chile, harvest 2023). Each PdC was prepared using various stressors (sulfur dioxide, ethanol, and temperature). Our findings revealed that wines produced with PdC exhibited similar fermentation kinetics and sensory profiles to those inoculated with commercial strains. Notably, PdC fermentations resulted in lower concentrations of acetic acid compared to both the commercial strain and spontaneous fermentations. The sensory analysis indicated that PdC wines significantly differed from those made with commercial strains, with PdC wines displaying more pronounced tropical notes. These results suggest that the PdC technique, particularly when using specific stressors, can maintain desirable fermentation characteristics while enhancing certain sensory attributes, offering a viable alternative to traditional inoculation methods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbiology of the Grape-Wine System)
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11 pages, 853 KiB  
Article
Occurrence and Persistence of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Population in Spontaneous Fermentation and the Relation with “Winery Effect”
by Alice Agarbati, Francesca Comitini, Maurizio Ciani and Laura Canonico
Microorganisms 2024, 12(7), 1494; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12071494 - 21 Jul 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1568
Abstract
The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae ensures successful fermentation in winemaking, although the persistent use of commercial strains lead to the loss of aroma complexity of wines. Hence, the research of indigenous S. cerevisiae with proper oenological features and well adapted to specific wine-growing areas [...] Read more.
The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae ensures successful fermentation in winemaking, although the persistent use of commercial strains lead to the loss of aroma complexity of wines. Hence, the research of indigenous S. cerevisiae with proper oenological features and well adapted to specific wine-growing areas become of great interest for winemakers. Here, 206 pure cultures of S. cerevisiae were isolated from two wineries during a two-year sampling campaign and bio-typed through interdelta sequences analyses with the aim to evaluate the occurrence and persistence of the S. cerevisiae wild population linked to each winery. Both wineries belong to the same Verdicchio DOC wine area (Castelli di Jesi), and never used commercial yeasts during fermentation. Results showed 19 different biotypes with a specific population of S. cerevisiae in each winery, without cross-contamination with each other and with commercial starter strains. Moreover, inside each winery a persistence of some dominant biotypes was observed over time (three biotypes in winery 1; 95% of isolates in the two years and one biotype in winery 2; 20% of isolates in the two years), indicating a sort of “winery-effect”. The evaluation of S. cerevisiae populations for the oenological characters by microfermentations showed a proper and well distinct aromatic imprinting on the resulted wines supporting the concept of “winery effect”. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbiology of the Grape-Wine System)
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Review

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12 pages, 1367 KiB  
Review
Exploring the Grapevine Microbiome: Insights into the Microbial Ecosystem of Grape Berries
by Daniela Minerdi and Paolo Sabbatini
Microorganisms 2025, 13(2), 438; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13020438 - 17 Feb 2025
Viewed by 745
Abstract
Plant growth, health, and resilience to stress are intricately linked to their associated microbiomes. Grapevine, functioning as a holobiont, forms essential relationships with fungi and bacteria across both its belowground (roots) and aboveground (leaves and berries) compartments. The root microbiome exhibits a stable, [...] Read more.
Plant growth, health, and resilience to stress are intricately linked to their associated microbiomes. Grapevine, functioning as a holobiont, forms essential relationships with fungi and bacteria across both its belowground (roots) and aboveground (leaves and berries) compartments. The root microbiome exhibits a stable, site-specific structure, whereas the microbiomes of ephemeral tissues such as leaves and berries, which regenerate annually, display more stochastic assembly patterns across growing seasons. Among these, grape berries represent a critical component in viticulture due to their direct influence on wine quality and flavor complexity. Berries provide a unique ecological niche, hosting diverse microbial communities composed of yeasts, bacteria, and fungi that interact with the grapevine and its surrounding environment. These microorganisms are not only pivotal to berry development but also contribute significantly to the synthesis of secondary metabolites and fermentation processes, ultimately shaping the sensory and organoleptic properties of wine. This review consolidates current knowledge on the grapevine microbiome, with a particular emphasis on the microbial dynamics of grape berries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbiology of the Grape-Wine System)
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