Indigenous lactic acid bacteria communities associated with spontaneous malolactic fermentations in Patagonian wines: Basic and applied aspects

VALDES LA HENS D.; BRAVO-FERRADA B; BRIZUELA N.S.; TYMCZYSZYN E. E.; HOLLMANN A.; DELFEDERICO L.; SEMORILE L

Biology and Biotechnology of Patagonian Microorganisms

Springer

Lugar: Suiza; Año: 2016; p. 296 - 328

The malolactic fermentation (MLF) is the biochemical process by which lactic acid bacteria (LAB) contribute to the wine deacification. Additionally, MLF has an important influence on wine flavour and improves its microbiological stability. MLF often occurs spontaneously after alcoholic fermentation (AF) and Oenococcus oeni and L. plantarum are the main species among bacteria responsible for this process. In the first part of this Chapter we described the composition and dynamics of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) communities associated with spontaneous malolactic fermentations of Patagonian red wines. The prevalence of O. oeni and Lb. plantarum in Patagonian wine detected by PCR-DGGE suggests that both species are involved in leading spontaneous MLF. The combination of culture dependent and independent methods is needed to detect dominant and rare bacterial species and provided a more complete view of the composition of the bacterial community. A considerable genotypic heterogenity of Lb. plantarum and O. oeni isolates that come from grapes lead spontaneous MLFs in Patagonian wines.In the second part, the objective was to depict the evaluation of some indigenous Patagonian LAB strains in order to be used as possible autochthonous MLF starter cultures by analyzing their oenological and technological properties. The selection of potential starters cultures was based on a high malolactic activity under harsh conditions encountered (e.g. low pH, high ethanol concentration and sulfite tolerance). Further features to be taken into account correspond to interesting oenological properties such as the presence of diverse enzymatic activities involved in the production of desirable wine aromas and the absence of biogenic amines production.