Effect of malolactic fermentation and two different malolactic starter culture (Oenoccocus oeni VP41, Oenococcus oeni PN4) on the aroma compounds of kalecik karasi wines.

In this study, the effects of malolactic fermentation (MLF) and two different malolactic starter cultures (Oenococcus (O.) oeni VP41, O. oeni PN4) on the aroma compounds of Kalecik Karası red wine were investigated. The aroma compounds of wines were extracted by using liquid-liquid extraction method and identified and quantified by GC-MS-FID.MLF generally increased the amount of wine aroma compounds. The concentration of total aroma compounds in wine was determined as 84.40 mg/l before MLF. After MLF, the level of total aroma compounds increased to 103.63 mg/l in spontaneous wine, 101.80 mg/l in wine inoculated by O. eoni VP41 starter culture and 104.39 mg/l in wine inoculated by O. oeni PN4 starter culture. The important increase was determined in the amount of 2,3-butandiole, ethyl lactate, acetic acid, acetoin and ?-butyrolactone with inoculation of malolactic starter cultures. It was determined that malolactic starter cultures used did not produce diacetyl and the levels of 2,3-butandiole, ethyl lactate, acetic acid and acetoin produced with the inoculation of malolactic starter cultures were lower compared to spontaneous MLF.As a result, the use of starter cultures prevented the production of off-flavours and affected positively the aroma composotion and sensory chracateristic of wines.Keywords: Kalecik Karası, Red Wine, Malolactic fermentation, Oenococcus oeni, Aroma compounds