During a wine tasting in the Willamette Valley you may be told whether or not the wine went through a “secondary fermentation.” If you’ve ever wondered what this means, here is my exploration of the science behind malolactic fermentation: from the vineyard to the bottle. Background: Winemakers use a bacterial process, “secondary fermentation,” to convert malic acid to the softer smoother yogurty lactic-acids. Malolactic Fermentation Investigation 1. Waiting to perfect ripeness is risky. Many fruits, including grapes, are acid-tart until they ripen. How many times have you picked…