What is ML?
What makes a Chardonnay buttery while most whites are more crisp? The main reason is Malolactic fermentation which is a lactic acid bacteria that is introduced into the wine by the winemaker. While this bacteria is naturally occurring the winemaker will select one from a number of strains and choose one that best suits the style of wine that he or she is after. The bacteria will turn that malic acid into lactic acid. This butteriness often can mask some of the fruit in the wine but Chardonnay doesn’t have a lot of fruit to begin with. If you think of a Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, etc. you’ll know what I am talking about as there are tons of aromas and flavors jumping out of the glass compared to a Chardonnay.
Most of the wineries throughout the world do not put their whites through “ML” except for their Chardonnay. Some winemakers will actually do just a portion of the Chardonnay through ML as opposed to a hundred percent of the wine. This will bring some butteriness to the wine but will also retain some of the natural flavors. On the flipside, nearly all red wines do go through the malolactic fermentation which tends to soften them without really affecting the fruit.