Analysis of lactic acid bacteria populations during spontaneous malolactic fermentation of Tempranillo wines at five wineries during two consecutive vintages

Abstract: The ecology and the population dynamics of lactic acid bacteria during malolactic fermentation of Tempranillo wine made at five wineries in Castilla-La Mancha were analysed for two consecutive vintages (years 2006 and 2007). This microbiota was typed using Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RAPD-PCR) subsequently identified using both molecular and phenotypic methods. Oenococcus oeni was the predominant species. Genotypes varied considerably in both of the vintages from each winery, although a number of coincident genotypes were found in each one. Three genotypes were present in all the wineries in at least one of the vintages. These results confirm the existence of a coincident population of O. oeni genotypes that may be considered endemic to this wine region and that seem to play an important role in all the vinifications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]