CHRIS HANSEN’S LAB MLF CULTURE DIRECT
ADD
Sometimes you need to know the last things first. This culture is added AFTER
the fermentation or at the end of the primary. It may influence your yeast selection.
The use of Citric Acid or Lalvin EC 1118 and BM
4 x4 yeast is not recommended if you intend to have a Malolactic
fermentation. EC-1118 produces SO2 that can interfer with a
malolactic fermentation.
Viniflora Oenos Malo-lactic Culture, 1.5 gram packet. The 1.5 gram
sizes can be added directly into up to 65 gallons of wine; simply dump in and stir. Optimum use is just
before the end of fermentation or shortly thereafter. Store it in your refrigerator if you will be using it
within 3 months, otherwise use a freezer for 36 months. Use the whole packet the day you open
it.
1. Vinaflora Oenos from Chris Hansen’s Lab is a new generation malolactic culture, which
doesn’t require preparation like other strains. It is added directly to
your wine with no hassle in preparation. It is a pure culture of
Leuconostoc Oeanos DSM 7008.
2. The 2-gram packet is rated to inoculate up to 250 liters (65
gallons).
3. Storage: When you receive this
packet of culture, be sure to put it in your freezer. It may be refrigerated
if use is within a month.
4. The optimum time to inoculate the wine is immediately after fermentation has
finished. Actively growing yeast produce substance that will inhibit the
bacteria. However, you don’t want to wait too long after fermentation is over because you don’t
want much sulfur dioxide in the wine when you add the culture.
5. The best performance is best achieved in wine temperatures greater than
61oF or
16oC. Temperatures below
58oF or
14oC strongly inhibit
MLF (malolactic fermentation).
6. One cannot add too much excess bacteria to a wine. However, do not try to
stretch the culture beyond it rated gallonage.
7. Before adding the
culture, stir the wine very well.
8. Give it as little air contact as possible and
DO NOT hydrate it in water first.
You may add it to a little
wine immediately upon opening to make dividing among batches easier. Add the culture or culture-wine
mix directly to the wine immediately.
Stir the wine on and off for at least 20 minutes after adding the
culture.
OPTIMUM Wine conditions
1. SO2
¨ Total: less than 30 ppm (Do not exceed 40
ppm)
¨ Free: less than 10 ppm
¨ IDEAL: NO SO2, when wine conditions allow, use quality fruit, no rotten
grapes
2.
Fermentation: Ensure sufficient level of
nutrients. Select a yeast with low
SO2 production.
To minimize the risk of starter culture failure due to inhibition by yeast and production of large amounts of
acetic acid, we recommend inoculating near the end or after alcoholic fermentation. (Optimum alcohol level is below
14%.).
¨
Avoid
inhibition by yeast during alcoholic fermentation. Preferably malolactic
starter cultures should be inoculated after completion of alcoholic fermentation. Do not inoculate the
wines during active yeast fermentation unless you have achieved successful results in the past and are
willing to take this risk.
3. pH: Malolactic starter cultures perform best in wine of greater than pH
3.1.
4. Wine
Temperature: Performance is best
achieved in wine temperatures greater than 16oC or 61oF. Temperatures below
14oC (58oF) strongly inhibit MLF.
5.
Temperature for storage:
Unopened freeze-dried cultures may be stored in the refrigerator at about 35 – 39oF (2-4oC) up to 6 months. Long-term storage is possible in your freezer at below
7oC or 30oF. Once opened it must be used.
ª
For further information there is an excellent
article in the November/December 1990 issue of Vineyard and Winery Management submitted by Sibylle A.
Drieger, Walter P. Hammes, and Thomas Henick-Kling entitled Management of
Malolactic Fermentation Using Starter
Cultures.
Fall Bright, The Winemakers Shoppe, 10110 Hyatt Hill, Dundee, NY
14837
www.fallbright.com www.101winemaking.com winemaking@fallbright.com
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