Abstract
Malolactic fermentation (MLF) is an important process in wine production due to the resulting reduction in acidity. MLF is typically induced by the addition of Oenococcus oeni after the completion of alcoholic fermentation (AF), but can occur concurrent with AF by co-inoculation of O. oeni with Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This study investigated the effect of MLF inoculation timing and temperature (15 °C and 21 °C) and the presence of the non-Saccharomyces yeast Torulaspora delbrueckii on Chardonnay wine aroma and mouthfeel. Aroma composition was measured using headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GCMS). Mouthfeel attributes of the wines produced were assessed by a winemaker panel, using Napping® and Ultra-flash profiling. Significant differences in aroma composition and mouthfeel perception were found based on MLF timing and inoculation conditions, as well as between temperatures. Temperature had a greater impact on the aroma composition for sequential inoculations, while there were little differences based on the temperature of concurrent fermentations. Treatment type and temperature also affected the chemical composition of finished wines. Mouthfeel was impacted, although not as strongly as aroma composition. These findings demonstrate the usefulness of various MLF practices to influence the sensory qualities of a Chardonnay wine.
Highlights
Chardonnay is referred to as a neutral aromatic grape cultivar, producing a wine that is not defined by a specific set of aroma compounds [1,2]
Chardonnay wines produced with a concurrent inoculation strategy completed the fermentations in 26 days, while those produced using a sequential concurrent inoculation strategy completed the fermentations in 26 days, while those produced using fermentation strategy took between 62 and 82 days to complete (Table 1)
No adverse impacts on wine quality were noted for concurrently inoculated ferments as acetic acid increases were driven by lower fermentation temperature rather than Malolactic fermentation (MLF) timing
Summary
Chardonnay is referred to as a neutral aromatic grape cultivar, producing a wine that is not defined by a specific set of aroma compounds [1,2]. Chardonnay wine is possibly the most diverse white wine style, allowing for many variations in processing steps, including a variety of styles in sparkling wine and some dessert wines. It is most commonly used for the production of still white wine [3]. In the absence of the aromatic constituents of grape skins, Chardonnay is most often fermented at one of two temperature ranges to retain aroma compounds; 10–16 ◦ C or 20–25 ◦ C [4]. Of almost all white wines, texture and mouthfeel are considered of extreme importance for the Chardonnay wine style [5]
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