Release of glycosidically bound flavour compounds of Chardonnay by Oenococcus oeni during malolactic fermentation

Glycosidases, produced by Oenococcus oeni strain Lalvin EQ54 during malolactic fermentation (MLF) performed in a chemically defined wine (CDW) medium, contributed to the release of volatile aglycons from their glycosylated precursors, present in a Chardonnay wine glycosidic extract. The liberation of wine volatiles during MLF was limited by the low activity of these enzymes in this strain. Six different aglycons examined were 3-hydroxydamascone, alpha-terpineol, vanillin, methyl vanillate, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and tyrosol. Using p-nitrophenyl synthetic substrates, it was shown that O. oeni Lalvin EQ54 has beta-glucosidase, and limited alpha-L-rhamnopyranosidase and alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase activities. Release of aglycons from the Chardonnay wine glycosidic extract was increased when purified alpha-L-rhamnopyranosidase and alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase were added to the CDW medium together with the malolactic bacteria culture. The results obtained confirmed that O. oeni has the necessary glycosidases for the sequential liberation of the disaccharide sugars from wine glycosides. The rate of MLF proceeded much faster in the CDW supplemented with the Chardonnay wine glycoside extract (8 days compared to 20 days), even though the bacterial growth was unaffected. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.