In modern winemaking, the dominance of a small number of grape varieties and starter yeasts leads to wines with similar organoleptic profiles. In the context of climate change, 
utilizing our national genetic heritage can produce wines with distinctive characteristics typical of their region of origin. ‘Sideritis’, a rare grape variety from Achaia adapted to climate change, yields light wines with crisp acidity but low aromatic intensity. Today, wines made exclusively from ‘Sideritis’ are extremely rare, and there is no ‘Sideritis’ wine on the market produced with indigenous yeasts. However, select genotypes have been identified in local vineyards, and native yeasts capable of enhancing the aromatic profile have been chosen to improve wine quality. The goal is the genetic identification of selected vines
and the application of indigenous yeasts to produce an innovative wine that, for the first time, combines 100% ‘Sideritis’ with fermentation using selected native yeasts.
Project Τitle: Application of non-conventional native yeasts to produce new improved wine from the rare indigenous variety “Sideritis”
Project Duration: 02/01/2019 – 31/12/2021
Project URL: https://www.facebook.com/p/WestWine-Project-100065634873224/?locale=el_GR
Project Framework & Funding: Strengthening Research-Development & Innovation Plans in the RIS3 Priority Sector ‘Agri-Food'” with OPS Code 2948 under the Operational Program “Western Greece 2014-2020” – Total Project Budget: €249,102 €.
Scientific coordinator (UNIWA): Associate Prof. Banilas Georgios
Consortium – Partners: Anonymous Industrial Company of Winemaking & Distilling of Aigio
Institute of Agricultural Product Technology – Hellenic Agricultural Organization DIMITRA
Department of Wine, Vine, and Beverage Sciences – ELKE-UWA.
Research Publications / Results / Patents : https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/13/7/1061
