So why can'r you use MLF on kit wines?

I read about the battonage technique and someone wrote not to try MLF on a kit or they'd cry. A reply was posted saying they were curious as to why MLF shouldn't be done on a kit.

Anybody know why?

Anybody ever taken the leap and used MLF on any wine?

PS- MLF = "Malolactic Fermentation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malolactic_fermentation

If you search on Winepress you might find some comments from Tim V. on this topic. Basically the result of MLF on most kit wines will be a "flabby" wine. Doesn't sound good, but I don't know what it means.

The Heron Bay rep indicated that MLF could be done on their wines (at least some of them). However, since then, there has been an ownership change, and possibly a formulation change. I haven't seen that Heron Bay rep on the forums in quite a while. So who knows?

If you want to try, go right ahead. Personally, I don't wish to chance turning a kit into "flabby" wine.

Steve

Kit wines have been balanced for the proper acidity level for the style the wine kit is trying to duplicate. MLF reduces acid levels, primarily malic acids. If you lower the acid levels, now the wine will no longer be in balance. That results in a listless, flabby wine. I really believe it is just that simple.

Others say that it has to do with the way the kits juice is concentrated and that that process gives off certain compounds that don't react well with the malolactic bacteria. I don't put much stock in that theory.

Whatever the reason, I wouldn't do it, but then again, if you bought the kit- you bought the keys to take it for a spin.

Whatever the reason, I wouldn't do it, but then again, if you bought the kit- you bought the keys to take it for a spin.[/QUOTE]

Nice analogy

I have not done this, but it should be possible. As long as the kit doesnt have sorbates in the juice pre-ferment (check with your vendor) because you dont want hexadiene off gas from sorbate/malic interaction.

Lets say wine kit was for final PH 3.45 and TA 0.7. Then you MLF it, and you end up with PH 3.65 and TA 0.65. You've turned some malic into lactic to gain some buttery flavors, but you've lost a bit of acidic bite that the kit was formulated for. So, now just throw a bit of tartaric (not acid blend) at it to raise acidity back up and lower that PH into the 3.45 range.

I'd suggest splitting off 6g kit into a couple 3g's post ferment and throw the Wyeast 4007 at just one of them to experiment.