## 1 Introduction  
_Saccharomyces cerevisiae_ has been widely applied to many fermentation processes including baking, winemaking, and brewing for thousands of years [1]. High tolerance of glucose and ethanol, and ability to convert sugars to alcohol in fermentation makes _S. cerevisiae_ important for alcoholic beverages [2]. In winemaking, commercial strains of _S. cerevisiae_ are selected for their efficient and reliable fermentation capabilities especially important in producing final wines that are consistent in taste and aroma. Although commercial _S. cerevisiae_ yeasts are common in winemaking, there is increasing interest in using non-_Saccharomyces_ yeasts (also known as native 'wild' yeasts) during early stages of wine fermentation. Previous studies demonstrate that unique physiological properties of certain non-_Saccharomyces_ yeast strains can influence resulting wine such as alcohol levels and volatile metabolite profile [3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. For example, _Metschnikowa pulcherrima_ and _Toralispora delbrueckii_ were able to produce 0.28 and 0.3 g ethanol/g sugar, respectively, compared to _S. cerevisiae_ at 0.46 g ethanol/g sugar [8]. Decreased ethanol levels in wines is favorable from a regulatory and health-related perspective [9]. Coinoculation of non-_Saccharomyces_ yeasts such as _Hanseniaspora uavrum_ and _Starmerella bacillaris_ were able to enhance aromatic profile by producing higher alcohols that correspond to floral odor (i.e., \(\beta\)-phenylethyl alcohol) [10, 11, 12]. \(\beta\)-phenylethyl alcohol is an important phenolic higher alcohol in wine and consumers have responded favorably to richer, fruitier, and more complex styles of wine [9; 13]. Thus, targeted use of non-_Saccharomyces_ yeasts through sequential or coinoculation can favorably impact physicochemical properties that determine quality of final wines. The composition, distribution, and abundance of non-_Saccharomyces_ yeasts are affected by environmental factors such as weather, soil, rainfall, and winemaking practices [14]. Among diverse non-_Saccharomyces_ yeasts present within vineyards and winery environments, _Hansenispora_ spp., _Pichia_ spp., and _Candida_ spp. are dominant yeast populations that have been previously reported to contribute to the initial stages of fermentation and improve the organoleptic characteristics of final wine [15]. To date, most studies that characterize the diversity of non-_Saccharomyces_ yeasts have been associated with _Vitis vinifera_ varieties. Much is still unknown relative to how microbial populations present on hybrid grapes affect final wine quality. Hybrid grape varieties or also known as interspecific varieties have been of recent interest due to their versatile characteristics related to the ability to tolerate extreme cold weathers and increased disease resistance [16]. For example, Marquette (cross between two hybrids, MN 1094 \(\times\) Ravat 262) is resistant to downy mildew and cold temperature at \(-\)34 \({}^{\circ}\)C [17]. Chambourcin ([PERSON] \(\times\) Seibel 5455) is a French-American hybrid grape varietal and is the most abundant hybrid grape grown in Pennsylvania, USA. Chambourcin grapes have been shown to tolerate cold temperatures (\(-\)25 \({}^{\circ}\)C) and fungal diseases such as grey rot caused by _Botrytis cinerea_[17]. Therefore, hybrid grapes could be used as an approach to decrease risks of wine faults. During the initial and early stages of winemaking, sulfur dioxide (SO\({}_{2}\)) and ethanol are critical intrinsic factors that can directly impact the diversity and abundance of microbial populations including non-_Saccharomyces_ yeasts. The addition of SO\({}_{2}\) is recommended for protection against spoilage fungi or bacteria. Therefore, one important characteristic of wine yeasts is the ability to tolerate and grow in varying levels of sulfites during winemaking. On the other hand, tolerance of wine yeasts to increasing concentrations of ethanol during alcoholic fermentation is also a prerequisite for winemaking.