Malolactic Fermentation

What it is: It is a microbiological process initiating from the lactic bacteria that is naturally present in the grape and in which the malic acid becomes lactic acid.

What its purpose is: Malolactic fermentation is an essential process in red wines and some whites of high latitudes, where acidity is excessive, as it involves a deacidification of the wine due to two reasons. First, because part of the acid becomes carbonic acid and is released; and, second, because the lactic acid is a smoother acid than the malic acid.