Malolactic fermenation- Need an explanation please

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Pauly2275

Junior
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Hi there,

Being a newbie I have lot's of questions about the wine making process. One question is about Malolactic fermenation. Is it something that occurs natually or should I be including it as a step in each batch of wine that I'm making;assuming it's a type of wine that would benfit from it. How do I know if the batch of wine I'm making needs it or not?

Paul
 
It is usually done to red wines. It helps the taste profile of the wine and it also helps with keeping the wine stable too.An MLF can happen naturally but since it is a bit more finicky then yeast it's better to add an MLF culture to your wine to help it make it thru to completion without problems.
 
Mlf

MLF can be performed on both Red and White wines. I believe it is safe to say all French style wines sold today have gone the MLF.

MLF is not a real fermentation, but the conversion of one acid/enzyme to another (Malic to Lactic). This is performed by the introduction of an anerobic bacteria that facilitates the conversion. The effect is the transition from a tart/sharp taste to one that is softer and smoother. The bacteria is introducted later in fermentation or just following it. MLF can take place naturally, but usually is initated on purpose.

This links provides more details.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malolactic_fermentation
 
Thank you both for your comments. SO is this something that I buy from my local wine shop? is there a danger it could go too far, or is there a way to stop it once I'm satisfied with the smoothness of the wine?
 
Wow, that's some good information right there. Thank you for posting those three links!

It seems the more I find out about wine making the more questions I have. I'm curious as to why the makers of wine kits don't include this as part of the process if it helps to make a nicer- smoother wine.
I used the White Labs product whick is a liquid preperation that is already hydrated.

Here is an MLF guide.
http://www.morebeer.com/public/pdf/wmlfinfo.pdf

The Wine Makers Toy Store has several MLF products. Here is a link.
http://www.finevinewines.com/XProdListMain.asp

Here are some other MLF choices.
http://morewinepro.com/search?search=malolactic
 
Re MLF

That's a good question that I don't have an answer to. You know kits are made for fast processing. You are going from ferment to bottle in 40-50 days I believe. It's possible the kit wines have been preprocessed or had a strain preadded. Hopefully someone in the know will respond to that question.
 
+ what was said, remember you can not backsweeten any wine that you put thru a MLF.
 
That's a good question that I don't have an answer to. You know kits are made for fast processing. You are going from ferment to bottle in 40-50 days I believe. It's possible the kit wines have been preprocessed or had a strain preadded. Hopefully someone in the know will respond to that question.

Kits have had the juice balanced already to be made without going through MLF, so if you do it, then you run the risk of upsetting that balance and getting a very dull wine. Also many kits use sorbate, which does not play well with mlb and can lead to ruined wines.
 
The best explanation I have found as to why you should never attempt MLF on a kit wine comes from Daniel Pambianchi's book "Techniques in Home Winemaking".

Do NOT attempt MLF on kit wines because these types of juices have been tartrate-stabilzed during their production and thus contain a very high proportion of malic acid, which would be converted to lactic acid. The resulting wine would have very little acid, and a high pH making it very susceptible to bacterial infections
 
Julie or others, Why can't a wine be back sweetened after an MLF? And if a wine kit [ ie my Lodi Old Vine Zin] came with an enzyme packet is that for an MLF? Thanks, Roy
Wines that have been sweetened (by home winemakers) have been treated with potassium sorbate or sorbate for short. That prevents yeast from reproducing and helps prevent the added sweetness from being refermented and creating a bubbly dirty wine (bottle bombs).

Now malolactic bacteria will convert sorbate to geraniol, the substance that makes geraniums taste yucky and smell very strongly. So if you have done an mlf on the wine and there is even one live bactreria left, it can reproduce and begin to produce geraniol- hence ruined wine! Just remember don't do it!
 
The enzyme packet is just that, an enzyme that helps break down a white protein ring that can form post fermentation. It gets added after the gross lees have been removed.
 
The best explanation I have found as to why you should never attempt MLF on a kit wine comes from Daniel Pambianchi's book "Techniques in Home Winemaking".

Do NOT attempt MLF on kit wines because these types of juices have been tartrate-stabilzed during their production and thus contain a very high proportion of malic acid, which would be converted to lactic acid. The resulting wine would have very little acid, and a high pH making it very susceptible to bacterial infections


Does that mean juice buckets also?
 

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