Changes in the aromatic composition of Tempranillo wines during spontaneous malolactic fermentation

The influence of spontaneous malolactic fermentation on the aromatic composition of 16 industrially elaborated Vitis vinifera cv. Tempranillo (Cencibel) red wines was studied. For this purpose, we determined the concentration of 114 volatile compounds at the end of alcoholic fermentation and after malolactic fermentation. This process produces important increases in the content of succinic acid esters (ethyl monosuccinate, diethyl succinate and ethyl-methyl succinate), lactones (β-ethoxy-γ-butirolactone and β-(1-hydroxy-ethyl)-γ-butirolactone), terpenes (α-terpineol), norisoprenoids (damascenone and 3-hydroxy-β-damascenone) and volatile phenols (vanillin and siringaldehide), thus revealing the importance of the β-glucosidase activity of lactic bacteria in volatile composition and in the improvement of the organoleptic characteristics of wines.