Malolactic fermentation
Background
Malolactic fermentation (MLF) is an important step in grape vinification for virtually all red, and some white and sparkling wines. From a winemaking perspective, the main purpose of MLF is to deacidify wine and to improve its microbial stability by removing L-malic acid, which can act as a potential carbon source for various spoilage microorganisms. MLF not only decreases wine acidity but also modifies the aroma and palate of red and white wines.
Progress
Research areas within this project include MLF inoculation regimes with or after alcoholic fermentation as a means to make MLF an efficient process and to modulate wine aroma and palate; manipulation of sensory qualities of wine with different bacterial strains during MLF; MLF interactions with oak during wine maturation; and yeast and bacteria interactions during winemaking and their effect on MLF. Wine spoilage bacteria, including lactic acid bacteria and acetic acid bacteria are also investigated.
Highlights
- Aroma compounds in the form of glycosides can be liberated by Oenococcus oeni glycosidases during MLF, thus influencing the sensory properties of wine.
Project leader: Dr Eveline Bartowsky
Project team members:
Publications:
833 Bartowsky, E.J.; Henschke, P.A. Buttery attribute of wine — diacetyl. Desirability, spoilage, and beyond: butter or no butter. Pract. Winery Vineyard 27(2): 50–51, 53–60; 2005 (click here to order).
837 Bartowsky, E.J.; McCarthy, J.M.; Henschke, P.A. Spontaneous and induced MLF—do we really know what happens? Aust. N.Z. Grapegrower Winemaker (497a): 49–52, 54; 2005 (click here to order).
855 Bartowsky, E.J. Oenococcus oeni and malolactic fermentation—moving into the molecular arena. Aust. J. Grape Wine Res. 11: 174–187; 2005 (click here to order).
1070 Bartowsky, E. J. Henschke, P. A. Acetic acid bacteria spoilage of bottled red wine. A review. Int. J. Food Microbiol. 125 (1): 60-70; 2008 (click here to order).