Saccharomyces uvarum is proposed as a proper species within the complex Saccharomyces sensu stricto. Molecular characteristics including the similarity of the restriction profile of the non-transcribed spacer 2 (NTS2) and of the D1/D2 sequences of the rDNA, as well as other genotypic and phenotypic characteristics confirm that this group of strains is highly homogeneous and distinguishable from other species of the Saccharomyces sensu stricto group.