Alcohol-tolerant malolactic strains for the maturation of wines with average or high pH

US7625745B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Danstar Ferment AG · CH

Inventors

• Magali Bou · Seysses, FR
• Sibylle Krieger · Stuttgart, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 9, 2004
• Grant date: Dec 1, 2009
• Expiry date: Jul 3, 2025

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C12R2001/25
• WIPO field: Biotechnology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

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.