## 4 Conclusions  
The results of this study showed that sequential inoculation with the investigated _L. thermotolerans_ fermentation starter followed by _S. cerevisiae_ can produce significant effects on white wine composition and quality when compared to _S. cerevisiae_ monoculture fermentation. The bioacidification effect of _L. thermotolerans_, together with the reduced alcoholic strength, was confirmed to be a prominent feature of this yeast, useful in mitigating the negative influence of climate changes in winemaking. This is especially important for grape varieties such as Malvazija istarska, which, in certain terroirs and growing seasons, produce wines with lower acidity and higher alcohol content. These effects were milder  
Figure 2: Sensory profiles of Malvazija istarska wines produced by _Saccharomyces cerevisiae_ (_SCE_; control, pure culture, blue line) and _Lachance thermalotolerans_ (_LEV_; sequentially inoculated; fermentation finished by _S. cerevisiae_ (_SCE_) inoculated at 2 vol % ethanol, red line) obtained by quantitative descriptive sensory analysis: (**a**) intensities of main aroma group and taste attributes; and (**b**) intensities of main aroma group and taste attributes and specific odor descriptors for which statistically significant differences between the wines were determined by one-way ANOVA and least significant difference test (LSD) at \(p\) < 0.05.  
than for some other strains in previous reports, confirming that the studies on the selection of _L. thermotolerans_ strains with desired oenological performance are of utmost importance. Future research should also prioritize investigating how the complete physico-chemical composition of starting grape/must material, in combination with various vinicitation conditions, affect the performance of this yeast. This will enable more precise management of its activity to achieve the desired outcomes in winemaking. The comprehensive GC\(\times\)GC/MS-TOF analysis, complemented by conventional GC techniques, provided an in-depth characterization of the changes in the volatile aroma profile of wine as affected by _L. thermotolerans_ as a starter, with more than 370 identified volatiles. Although the levels of a number of compounds were lower after _L. thermotolerans_ co-fermentation, the investigated starter produced significant increases in the concentration of several known key wine volatile aroma compounds, followed by numerous compounds from various chemical classes with to date unknown, but possibly important contribution to wine sensory quality. On the other hand, for a number of volatiles, no significant effects were observed. Particular phenolic compounds from grapes were significantly affected, while the observed marginal effect on proteins and no effect on protein stability suggest that the used _L. thermotolerans_ strain is not a promising candidate for use for such purposes. In sensory terms, the wines of the two treatments were generally described as similar, albeit _L. thermotolerans_ co-fermentation slightly enhanced the perception of particular positive sensory attributes and descriptors, meaning that bioacidification and ethanol reduction were complemented by positive side effects on wine quality. With the largest number of identified volatile compounds reported up to date and other results obtained, this study contributes to the better understanding of oenological and especially aromatic potential of _L. thermotolerans_ in white wine production. Given the significant number of differentiating compounds whose sensory relevance remains unknown, it is crucial for future studies to delve deeper into understanding their potential impact. Conceptualization, D.D.S. and I.L. ; methodology, U.V. and I.L. ; validation, S.C. and I.L. ; formal analysis, D.D.S. and S.C.; investigation, D.D.S., U.V., S.C., S.R. and I.L. ; resources, U.V. and I.L. ; data curation, D.D.S., S.C. and I.L. ; writing--original draft preparation, D.D.S. ; writing--review and editing, U.V., S.C., S.R. and I.L. ; visualization, D.D.S. ; supervision, U.V. and I.L.