CHARACTERIZATION OF WINES CONDUCTED BY MIXED CULTURE OF AUTOCHTHONOUS YEASTS AND Oenococcus oeni FROM THE NORTHWEST REGION OF ARGENTINA

LUCÍA M. MENDOZA; MARÍA G. MERÍN; VILMA I. MORATA; MARTA E. FARÍAS

JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MICROBIOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY

SPRINGER HEIDELBERG

Lugar: Heidelberg; Año: 2011 vol. 38 p. 1777 - 1785

1367-5435

Two autochthonous yeasts from Argentinean Northwest, Kloeckera apiculata mc1 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae mc2, were used as pure or mixed starter cultures in micro-vinification trials conducted in Malbec red must. Also, the effect of Oenococcus oeni X2L was evaluated. S. cerevisiae mc2 showed adequate growth and fermentative activity in single and composite fermentations, producing standard concentration of ethanol. The amount of esters was higher in fermentations conducted by mixed yeast starters. Independent of the timing of inoculation of O. oeni, malolactic bacterium completely depleted malic acid. Sensory evaluation indicated that young wines fermented with mixed yeast cultures and sequential inoculation of O. oeni were preferred, achieving the highest scores for positive descriptors and they allowed better control of the sensory quality. Consequently, this study proposes inclusion of autochthonous K. apiculata mc1 as adjunct culture to S. cerevisiae mc2 during Malbec must fermentation to improve the organoleptic properties of red wines. Furthermore, sequential inoculation of O. oeni X2L should be carried out after completion of the AF to enhance sensory characteristics.