Identification of a yeast strain as a potential stuck wine fermentation restarter: a kinetic characterization

Restarter yeast strains are used to consume residual sugar (mainly fructose) in stuck wine fermentations. Strain ITD-00068 showed the highest values for the maximum growth rate, maximum fructose consumption rate, and maximum ethanol production rate. Strain ITD-00068 consumed 100% and 36% of the fructose present (at 20°C and 30°C, respectively), when cultured in medium with 12% (v/v) ethanol. The fructose consumption rate was reduced by 97% at 30°C, when ethanol was initially present in the media. S. cerevisiae ITD-00068 was tested in stuck fermentation conditions and was able to complete fermentation in 144 h in a commercial red wine, demonstrating that S. cerevisiae ITD-00068 is a potential candidate for use as a restarter in wine stuck fermentation at 20°C.