This study looks at the presence and evolution of yeast and lactic bacteria in the air of a vineyard during the 4 weeks up to harvesting. The work was conducted in two successive harvests (2008 and 2009) in a vineyard of Tempranillo grapes cultivated under the DOCa Rioja (Spain). The microorganisms collected from the air were compared with those isolated at the same time from the grape clusters, in order to analyze the air as a means of dispersal of the microorganisms present on the grapes inside the vineyard. A very low number of bacteria were detected on the clusters and in the air, but they all belonged to the group of lactic bacteria of enological interest. In the case of yeasts, the results obtained indicate that their presence in the air is much lower than that detected on the clusters, but that there continues to be a growing evolution in both media throughout the ripening period. In addition, the main species detected are similar in both cases, so that it can be suggested that the yeasts detected in the air are representative of the ones found on the grapes. However, although we isolated the main agents of alcoholic and malolactic fermentation, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Oenococcus oeni, from the grapes, these were not found in the air

This study has been undertaken with a grant from the Government of La Rioja (R-08-08, R-06-09 and FOMENTA 2007/04 Projects).

P. Garijo... et al.

Peer reviewed