[Microbiological aspects of sparkling wine processing].

The production of cava (sparkling wine produced according to the rules of the cava appellation, in i.e. Catalonia and La Rioja, Spain) involves several microbial factors such as growth, fermentation and death of yeast cells (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Ethanol tolerance, flocculation and aroma characteristics of yeast cells as major selection factors for the production of cava are discussed in this review.