Fungal Community Composition and Its Relationship with Volatile Compounds during Spontaneous Fermentation of Cabernet Sauvignon from Two Chinese Wine-Growing Regions

• Published in: Foods Vol. 13; no. 1; p. 106
• Main Authors: Gao, Jie, Geng, Huiying, Chai, Ruru, Wu, Tianyang, Huang, Weidong, You, Yilin, Zhan, Jicheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 28.12.2023; MDPI
• Subjects: Analysis; Bacteria; Biogeography; cabernet sauvignon; Chromatography; Community composition; Community structure; Fermentation; Flavor; Flavors; fungal communities; Fungi; Geographical distribution; Metabolites; Methyl salicylate; Microorganisms; Musts; Regions; Sensory evaluation; Software; spontaneous fermentation; volatile compound; Volatile compounds; Wine; wine-growing region; Wineries & vineyards; Wines; Canada; China; Beijing China; volatile compound; spontaneous fermentation; wine-growing region; cabernet sauvignon; fungal communities
• ISSN: 2304-8158; 2304-8158
• DOI: 10.3390/foods13010106

The microbial community structure associated with wine in a wine-growing region is shaped by diverse ecological factors within that region, profoundly impacting the wine flavor. In wine fermentation, fungi contribute more sensory-active biochemical compounds than bacteria. In this study, we employed amplicon sequencing to measure samples from the spontaneous fermentation process of cabernet sauvignon wines from two wine-growing regions in China to study the diversity and structural evolution of fungi during spontaneous fermentation and analyze the correlation between fungi and volatile compounds. The results showed significant differences in fungal community structure and diversity in cabernet sauvignon musts from different geographical origins, and these differences affected the flavor quality of the wines. As alcoholic fermentation progressed, became the dominant fungal genus and reshaped the fungal community structure, and the diversity of the fungal community decreased. However, the fungal communities of each wine-growing region remained distinct throughout the fermentation process. Furthermore, the correlation between the fungal community and volatile compounds indicated that wine is a product of fermentation involving multiple fungal genera, and the flavor is influenced by a variety of fungi. Our study enhances the comprehension of fungal communities in Chinese wine-growing regions, explaining the regulatory role of wine-related fungal microorganisms in wine flavor.