TY - JOUR T1 - <em>Leuconostoc oenos</em>: A Review JF - American Journal of Enology and Viticulture JO - Am J Enol Vitic. SP - 99 LP - 112 DO - 10.5344/ajev.1993.44.1.99 VL - 44 IS - 1 AU - H. J. J. Van Vuuren AU - L. M. T. Dicks Y1 - 1993/01/01 UR - http://www.ajevonline.org/content/44/1/99.abstract N2 - During malolactic fermentation (MLF), L-malic acid is converted to L(+)-lactic acid. Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, and Leuconostoc spp. are associated with the MLF. In most wines, Leuconostoc oenos is dominant during MLF and in recent years starter cultures have been developed using L. oenos to induce MLF in wines. This review deals with the habitat, morphology and growth, metabolism, taxonomy, and plasmids of L. oenos. Furthermore, the production of polysaccharides by certain strains of L. oenos and bacteriophages which destroy L. oenos are discussed. Finally, areas of research of importance to the wine industry are highlighted. ER -