Analysis of airborne yeast in one winery over a period of one year

The airborne yeast flora associated with four different areas in a Spanish winery was analyzed monthly over the course of one year (February 2008–January 2009), in order to characterize the yeasts in this particular ecosystem, an aspect relatively unknown until now. The sampling areas were: vinification, bottling, cask aging and bottle cellar aging. 382 yeasts were identified from two different culture media: one generic for yeasts and the other selective for the Brettanomyces/Dekkera genus. The levels of yeasts present in the air throughout the year were low and the highest presence of yeasts was in the bottling area. Most of the yeasts isolated were members of the non-Saccharomyces groups. Yeasts of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae species were only detected in the air in the vinification area during the vinification period. Sporidiobolus and Cryptococcus were the dominant genera in the air and they were found continuously in every area analyzed. The spoilage yeast Brettanomyces/Dekkera was not detected in any sampling made.

► This paper studies the yeasts in the air of a winery, an aspect relatively unknown.
► Sporidiobolus and Cryptococcus were the dominant genera in air.
► Spoilage yeast Brettanomyces/Dekkera was not detected.
► The bottling area is the zone of greatest risk for wine contamination from the air.