Along with bread making, the use of the microorganisms called yeasts to produce wine from grapes is one of the oldest uses of microorganisms by man. The origins of wine making date from antiquity. Before 2000 B.C. the Egyptians would store crushed fruit in a warm place in order to produce a liquid whose consumption produced feelings of euphoria. The manufacture and consumption of wine rapidly became a part of daily life in many areas of the Ancient world and eventually became a well-established part of Classical civilization. For centuries, wine making has been an important economic activity. In certain areas of the world, such as France, Italy, and Northern California, wine making on a commercial scale is a vital part of the local economy.

The agent of the formation of wine is yeast. Yeasts are small, single-celled fungi that belong to the genus Ascomycota. Hallmarks...