Jo Burzynska takes a look at the latest wine research in an article for the New Zealand Herald...

"Scientists have found that wild yeasts vary from region to region, and can have a unique influence if used in the wine-making process.

Climate, soil and geography have long been recognised playing an important role in shaping the character of a region's wines and whose interplay is at the heart of the French concept of terroir. However, a breakthrough by New Zealand scientists now suggests that an area's yeasts could play their part in regional differences as well, with the discovery that communities and strains of wine yeasts vary from region to region.

As well as playing their crucial role in a wine's alcoholic fermentation, yeasts were already known to be responsible for a significant portion of the compounds that can be smelled and tasted in a wine. But proving that different regions possessed significantly different yeast populations, is a world first.

Conducted by Velimir Gayevskiy and Dr Matthew Goddard of the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Auckland and funded by NZ Winegrowers and MSI, the study detected distinct differences between the so-called "wild" or "indigenous" yeasts found on syrah and chardonnay grapes and in their corresponding spontaneous ferments in three separate New Zealand regions.

Wild yeasts are those that exist naturally on grapes and in the vineyard, which left to their own devices will spontaneous start a grape's fermentation into wine.

However, nowadays many wines – especially those made in larger volumes – will be inoculated with cultured yeasts. These behave in a more predictable and reliable manner than their wild counterparts and can be selected by the winemaker for specific characteristics..."

For the full article click here: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/food-wine/news/article.cfm?c_id=206&objectid=10782639