The application of malolactic fermentation process to create good-quality grape wine produced in cool-climate countries: a review

The work presents the essence of the secondary fermentation occurring in the course of grape wines production—malolactic fermentation (MLF). The selection of wine yeast and bacteria preparations, scenario of malolactic bacteria inoculation as well as control system of the process conditions are proposed to create the specific character and style of grape wines produced in cool-climate countries, in which the acidity of grape must is often significantly enhanced and the concentration of aroma compounds is considerably low. The role played by appropriately run MLF is presented, along with the advantages and disadvantages of the process, benefits, and technological drawbacks resulting from the introduction of this procedure to the vinification process. Moreover, methods to initiate and run MLF as well as interactions occurring between microorganisms used in wine production, i.e., wine yeasts from the genus Saccharomyces and wine bacteria from the genus Oenococcus, are also presented and discussed.