Red grape varieties can release thiols, as evidenced by various studies. Their extraction results in wines with fresher, fruitier profiles.

Many of us associate volatile thiols with sauvignon blanc, manseng, riesling or colombard. Fewer of us associate them with red wine. Yet thiol precursors are much more frequent in red varietals than could be expected.

Cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot, malbec, pinot noir, carménère, tempranillo, négrette, syrah, grenache, sangiovese, durif, petit verdot, montepulciano, primitivo, mataro and valpolicella – most of the above appear to contain 3MH, 3MHA or 4MMP.

The presence of thiols influences the sensory universe, the intensity and freshness

In red wines, these compounds make the blackcurrant and black fruit notes stronger and can alson bring mind vegetal flavours.

Wine yeasts play a major role in revealing the aromatic precursors from the grapes.

RUBY™ is the first wine yeast specifically selected to release red thiols in red wines. It opens up exciting prospects for red winemaking and bring red wines to a new sensorial dimension.

Learn in this article, published in Reussir Vigne magazine in April 2024, what are red thiols, how they are released, how to protect them and read interesting testimonials from winemakers who tested RUBY™.

Published Sep 6, 2024 | Updated Sep 11, 2024

Alcoholic fermentationAromas thiolsRed wineWine Yeast