Evaluation of technological effects of yeast-bacterial co-inoculation in red table wine production.

Abstract

The practice of inoculating selected bacteria before alcoholic fermentation (AF) (co-inoculation) to induce malolactic fermentation (MLF) was used to produce red table wines from several grape varieties. In most of the microvinification trials, MLF was completed before or within one week after de-vatting. The acetic acid content remained within an acceptable level (<0.60 g/L). In an industrial vinification (200 hL), MLF induced by co-inoculation was completed before de-vatting, while in the wines inoculated after AF, the total malic acid degradation was obtained 33 days later. The potential risk of increasing the volatile acidity was also evaluated by inducing MLF in partially fermented wines. The co-inoculation practice was compatible with the production of red wines. The decrease in vinification time with respect to traditional MLF management could offer a significant advantage for industrial wineries.