Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Converting malic acid to lactic acid, as in a bacterial fermentation process that occurs in many wines usually after the initial fermentation of sugars to alcohol.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective winemaking Descriptive a type of fermentation where malic acid is tansferred to lactic acid.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[malic (acid) + lactic (acid).]

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Examples

  • We had it after its second fermentation stage, which in wine we call the malolactic fermentation...and this year there was no yeasting and no solidified additives.

    Restaurateur Alain Coumont Gets His Hands Dirty Javier Espinoza 2010

  • The wine, a Chardonnay from Domaine Jessiaume, is undergoing a process known as malolactic fermentation, whereby the harsh malic acids are converted into milder, creamier lactic acids, adding texture and flavor to the final juice.

    A Taste of Things to Come Will Lyons 2010

  • Therefore, they use shorter maceration and fermentation, but with techniques that nonetheless extract good color; age in smaller barrels in order to oxidize and soften tannin gently and to add a note of vanilla; and perform a secondary fermentation called malolactic to achieve less belligerent acidity.

    chicagotribune.com - News 2011

  • Both of these Chardonnays are more traditional in the sense that they are very buttery and creamy because during the winemaking process, 100 percent of these wines went into a secondary fermentation, commonly referred to as malolactic fermentation.

    Homepage 2009

  • Both of these Chardonnays are more traditional in the sense that they are very buttery and creamy because during the winemaking process, 100 percent of these wines went into a secondary fermentation, commonly referred to as malolactic fermentation.

    Homepage 2009

  • During oak aging almost every wine, red or white, goes through a secondary fermentation called malolactic fermentation.

    unknown title 2009

  • The final blend is 60% viognier and 40% chardonnay, without a trace of oak or malolactic fermentation.

    The New York Cork Report: 2009

  • The wine was fermented cold, slow and aged without oak or malolactic fermentation

    Anthony Nappa Wines 2008 Anomaly 2009

  • The wine was fermented cold, slow and aged without oak or malolactic fermentation

    Lenn Thompson 2009

  • The wine was fermented cold, slow and aged without oak or malolactic fermentation

    LENNDEVOURS: 2009

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