Malolactic Fermentation
Red wine malolactic fermentation is a critical part of the Red Wine Production process. While it is optional in whites, the vast majority of red wines undergo this process. Leuconostoc spp. are the catalyst for malo. They turn the tarter malic acid into smoother lactic acid.
MLF is conducted by lactic acid bacteria (LAB), of the genera Lactobacillus, Oenococcus, Pediococcus, and Leuconostoc. Oenococcus oeni (formerly Leuconostoc oenos) is the most beneficial, and probably the most frequently occurring species of LAB in wine.