08/23/05 E-mail - Malolactic fermentation

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran and this week we devote the entire week to answering email questions about wine. A listener emailed me to ask a question about the word malolactic, and asks, what does it mean? Some wineries give a description of the wine on the back label. One term that confuses many listeners is the term malolactic. Malic acid is a type of acid that's a component of wine. It's like that tangy crisp acidity that you experience in a granny smith apple.Very often you will read a description of a wine that refers to the fact that the wine or a portion of the wine's blend has gone through malolactic fermentation. This process occurs naturally in red wine. However, it is often intentionally created in white wine by the winemaker. It is a process in which a bacteria; one in the lactobacillus family, is introduced into the wine. It acts upon the wine by converting that malic acid I told you about into lactic acid. The effect is that the sharper crisper acids are converted to softer smoother acids. This is usually a good thing when done in moderation. If it is overdone the wine may become too soft and looses its nice bright acidity, which is really necessary to a well balanced wine. If it is overdone you may hear wine critics refer to it as too soft or flabby. So now when you see this term you will know that the wine is going to have a bit softer level of acid. And if that sounds good to you at the time - then buy it. Join us tomorrow as we answer more of your wine questions and thanks for joining me on today's Vine to Wine.