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US 8,114,449 B2Granted
Alcohol-tolerant malolactic strains for the maturation of wines with average or high pH
AssigneeDanstar Ferment AG
InventorsMagali Bou, Sibylle Krieger
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AssigneeDanstar Ferment AG
InventorsMagali Bou, Sibylle Krieger
Estimating the term…
Lactic bacterial strains of the genera Lactobacillus and Pediococcus which are capable of initiating and carrying out a complete malolactic fermentation on direct introduction, in the dried, frozen or lyophilised state, without a previous acclimatization step, at a concentration of between 106 and 5×107 UFC/ml, into a wine with an alcohol content of 10% or more and an average or high pH level. The resistance to alcohol is apparent with an excellent survival rate on inoculation and a rapid start to the fermentation activity such that the strain i) converts at least 5%, preferably at least 10%, of the malic acid into lactic acid in 5 days after inoculation of the wine and ii) converts at least 10%, preferably at least 25%, of the malic acid into lactic acid within 10 days of the inoculation of the wine.
A method of converting malic acid into lactic acid in a wine which has a pH greater than or equal to 3.5, said method consisting of introducing a preparation of lactic bacteria strains belonging to the genus Lactobacillus or Pediococcus and affecting the conversion of malic acid to lactic acid, directly in the dried, freeze-dried or frozen state, into said wine, at a concentration of between 106 and 5.107 UFC/ml, at a temperature greater than or equal to 18° C., when the alcohol degree has reached at least 10%, and of maintaining the wine in conditions which permit the development of malolactic fermentation, to obtain a mature wine which has a malic acid content lower than 0.2 g/l.
A method of converting malic acid into lactic acid in a wine which has a pH greater than or equal to 3.5, said method consisting of introducing a preparation of lactic bacteria comprising one or more strains, which (i) belong to the genus Lactobacillus or Pediococcus, (ii) affect the conversion of malic acid to lactic acid, and (iii) are homofermentary, directly in the dried, freeze-dried or frozen state, into said wine, at a concentration of between 106 and 5.107 UFC/ml, at a temperature greater than or equal to 18° C., when the alcohol degree has reached at least 5%, and of maintaining the wine in conditions which permit the development of malolactic fermentation, to obtain a mature wine which has a malic acid content lower than 0.2 g/l.
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