Abstract: With global climate warming, grape berries ripen too fast in warm growing regions especially in grape growing regions in western China, which in turn results in low acidity in grapes and ultimately will cause a great negative impact on the taste and quality of wine. Lachancea thermotolerans (LT) is a non-Saccharomyces yeast that can produce a high yield of lactic acid. The mixed inoculation of LT and Saccharomyces cerevisiae can effectively increase the acidity and reduce the pH of wine, thereby maintaining the microbial and color stability. In this paper, recent progress in the research and application of LT in wine fermentation is reviewed with respect to the basic physiological, biochemical and enological characteristics of LT. Furthermore, the influence of LT on the major metabolites, aroma and color of wine and the molecular mechanism of over-production of lactic acid by LT are reviewed. Finally, the commercial application of LT is outlined. This review is expected to provide a reference for further research on LT to promote its industrial application in wine production.

Key words: non-Saccharomyces; Lachancea thermotolerans; wine; lactic acid; acidification