The buttery flavor in some Chardonnays comes from oak. The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.

Some Chardonnays have a noticeable butteriness due to diacetyl—a buttery-tasting compound that is a by-product of malolactic fermentation. This is the process in which beneficial bacteria turn the sharp-tasting malic acid in wine to softer lactic acid. Not all Chardonnays go through malolactic fermentation, but those that do will often taste buttery. Butteriness in Chardonnay does not come from oak, although many wine drinkers assume this is the case.