Improvement of volatile composition of wines by controlled addition of malolactic bacteria

The effect of malolactic fermentation (MLF) on the volatile composition of red wines was studied by inoculation with selected lactic acid bacteria. Fo ur wines were inoculated with different Oenococcus oeni (syn. Leuconastoc o enos) strains, the major malolactic species found in wines, and one was ino culated with a Lactobacillus sp. strain. A non inoculated wine was also ana lyzed to act as a control. Malolactic fermentation and evolution of non vol atile compounds were followed by HPLC and after the depletion of the malic acid present in wine the volatile compounds were extracted and analyzed by gas chromatography with flame ionization and mass spectrometry. Wines which had undergone the MLF showed a significant increment in total higher alcoh ols, eaters and acids that are important in the sensory properties and qual ity of wine. (C) 2000 Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology. Pu blished by Elsevier Science Ltd. Al rights reserved.