Experimental trial of four commercial wine yeasts on Riesling in South Australia. Professional training report at Mr. Mick: Vintage 2020

Vinifera Euromaster - European Master in Viticulture and Oenology Engineering / Instituto Superior de Agronomia. Universidade de Lisboa / Montpellier SupAgro

A small experimental trial was conducted using four different Saccharomyces cerevisiae commercial yeasts to inoculate the same Riesling must. This trial was performed at Mr. Mick in Clare Valley, SA during the 2020 vintage. Riesling is one of the most important varieties in this area, and therefore there is a lot of commercial importance for determining which yeast to use to have the most desirable fermentation and to meet the winemaking objectives. The four different yeast strains used in the study were Oenoferm FREDDO, Maurivin PDM, Lalvin EC1118, and Lalvin QA23. A final panel tasting was the main form of assessment for which yeast performed the best. Appearance, aroma, body, taste and finish were the elements assessed, and an overall score was given for each wine by each of the judges on the panel. Additionally, fermentation was monitored by tracking the Baumé and the temperature twice daily, and after each wine was Baumédry, enzymatic analysis was used to ensure no residual sugar remained. Although this was a small-scale study and additional replications of the trial should be completed, the initial results showed that Maurivin PDM was the most promising yeast. It completed fermentation to dryness, resulted in the most desirable nose and mouth, was consistent with Riesling varietal characteristics and properly expressed terroir. This yeast will be used for Riesling in the future at Mr. Mick and at other wineries within the Clare Valley. In addition to this small experimental trial, this dissertation covers an overall critique of the winery operations at Mr. Mick, as part of a professional internship report

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