Isolation and selection of malolactic bacteria from southern Catalan wines

Abstract

Eighty‐seven strains of lactic acid bacteria were isolated from musts and corresponding fresh wines from southern Catalonia, Spain. They were selected for their ability to degrade malic acid in a semisynthetic medium with 10% ethanol at pH 3.5. Ten selected strains were tested in seven filtered wines. Three of the strains finished the malolactic fermentation in five wines in less than 14 days. In addition, the isolated strains were identified, 40 being Leuconostoc cenos and 20 Lactobacillus sp. that exhibited many characteristics of Ln. œnos.