Maximizing Malolactic Fermentation Seminar

MLF SEMINAR

At the Novelty Hill Januik Winery in Woodinville Washington on July 1st 2009 I attended the Maximizing Malolactic Fermentation for wine quality and style seminar presented by Dr. Sibylle krieger-Weber and Dr. Thomas Henrick-Kling. The purpose of the seminar was to understand MLF management and how various fermentation factors effect the ML process including

PH
Alcohol
SO2
Temperature
Pesticide residue
Polyphenol content
enological tannins

An important factor is the timing of inoculation how to promote or eliminate various compounds within the wine including acetaldehyde and diacetyl.

Some of the highlights are outlined below:

Oenococcus oeni is the preferred bacterial culture to use as an ML starter culture because it is acid tolerant to below pH 3.5 and tolerant to ethanol up to 14%. It also has no flavor defects.

Important factors in Malolactic Fermentation:

ML is limited by

pH - less than pH3.2
SO2 - Free sulfur dioxide concentrations above 10 mg/L
Total sulfur dioxide concentrations above 30 mg/L
Temperature - Low
nutrients
bacteriorphange
micorbial antagonism
spray residue
polyphenols

Yeast produces SO2 and SO2 will stop MLF. For co-inoculation of yeast and ML use a yeast that doesn't produce too much SO2. Lalvin W27, W46 and W15 will allow spontaneous fermentation 10-20 days after completion of primary fermentation.

The basic message from this seminar that I got was to buy Oenococcus oeni bacteria for the best results for ML fermentation, control the environmental conditions listed above, and use nutrient additives recommended by Lallemand to ensure effective MLF. Avoid spontaneous ML due to the formation of brett and other off flavor causing compounds.

Also there was a section of Biogenic amines.

Biogenic Amines originate from the metabolism of living cells from animals, vegetables and microbes.
They are present in many different foods: Fermented sausages Fermented fish, cheese, fermented olives, chocolate, tomatoes, strawberries, nuts, and wines.
The main compounds are : Histamine, Tyramine, Putrescine and Cadaverine.

Various free amino acids will create biogenic amines.

Role of Biogenic amines in human health

Histamine in low doses: contraction of muscle fibers, stimulation of neurons, activation of the gastric secretion, reaction to allergies

Histamine in High doses: Migraines, fever, some sensitive individuals may react with the formation of cancerogenous nitrosoamines.

The degradation of Biogenic Amines removes these from the body. This happens either by Monoamine Oxidases or diamine oxidases this process is inhibited by alcohol. This will give you headaches and a hangover after drinking these biogenic amines and not being able to remove them because of the alcohol in the wine. To ensure your body can degrade these biogenic amines in an effective manner take Vitamin B6 prior to consumption of the wine. Biogenic amines are also found in beer but in much less concentration 20-50 mg/kg vs up to 3,800 mg/kg in red wine.

The seminar included much more info and was frankly over my head but I think this summation of the highlights is good for the general public. For more information contact the seminar presenters listed above.

Thanks,

Nathan Sikes
Resources:
www.lallemandwine.us
winegrapes.wsu.edu/
Scott laboratories nicholah@scottlab.com