The role of wasps in alcoholic fermentation • Food and Wine Italy

Quanto a the viticry ecosystems, wasps and Calabroni they play an unexpected and fundamental role: that of natural vectors of the yeasts responsible for alcoholic fermentation. Several scientific studies have confirmed that these insects contribute to the transfer and conservation of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, the yeast protagonist of the process that transforms the sugars of the grape into alcohol. An ancient and complex mechanism, which protects microbial biodiversity and enriches the sensory profile of wines.

The wasps are great “winemakers”

The production of wine does not depend only acceso human intervention, the characteristics of the soil ora the climatic conditions. A decisive contribution also comes from the animal microcosm that populates the vineyards, and sopra particular from insects. Among these, Vespe and Calabroni perform an important biological function sopra the life cycle of the vineyard and sopra the vinification itself. The study conducted by the University of Florence highlighted the role of these insects sopra the transfer of the yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae acceso the grape berries. This unicellular microorganism, used since ancient times for the fermentation of food and drinks, is too heavy to be spread by the wind and needs natural vectors to move within the wine -growing environments.

The mechanism was observed above all sopra the spring and summer months, when Vespe and Calabroni, after the wintering phase, feed acceso the sugars present acceso the ripe berries. During this process, the yeasts present sopra the intestine of insects are deposited acceso the bunches, thus entering sopra direct contact with the fruit. These yeasts can originate from bark, fruits and other natural sources, and the intestine of insects constitutes an environment sopra favor of their coupling and the formation of new variants. Dr. Duccio Cavalieri, coordinator of the Florentine research, explained how the digestive system of the Vespers guests a variety of strains of Sacchaomyces Cerevisiae and hybrids between these and other wild species. Within this micro natural crossings are created that generate strains more resistant to fermentative and capable of adapting to the specificities of the territory. This feature allows to maintain a microbiological biodiversity essential for the quality and typicality of the wines. Quanto a the past it was believed that the yeasts necessary for fermentation were mainly sopra the cellars ora were added during the winemaking phase. Today it is known that a significant part of the process takes place directly sopra the vineyard, thanks to these natural carriers. The importance of this dynamic is enhanced by the fact that, with the progressive diffusion of selected and standardized strains of yeasts sopra oenology, the risk of reducing microbial biodiversity is concrete. The yeasts transported by the wasps, the result of natural coupling and environmental adaptations, prove to be not only more resistant than those cultivated sopra the laboratory, but also able to confer aromas and characteristics organoleptic peculiar to wines. Elements that reflect the environment of origin and contribute to defining its territorial identity. This biological and cultural heritage is now the subject of enhancement sopra numerous projects of sustainable viticulture, which aim to veterano the use of industrial yeasts and to preserve spontaneous fermentations led by native microorganisms. Quanto a this context, the presence of wasps and hornets sopra the vineyards is considered an ecological indicator of environmental balance and a resource for wine quality.