What gives some wines a buttery flavor?

Karen MacNeil

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February 15, 2026

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August 22, 2025

What gives some wines a buttery flavor? The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.

A. Stirring the wine while it’s still in barrel

B. Aging the wine in oak barrels with a high toast level

C. Malolactic fermentation

D. Carbonic Maceration

After a wine’s initial fermentation (during which, yeasts turn grape sugar into alcohol), a winemaker may choose to let the grapes undergo a process called malolactic fermentation. This process softens the wine by converting malic acid to lactic acid, and creates a byproduct called diacetyl. This compound is what gives butter its characteristic flavor, so when it is present in wine, diacetyl can have the same effect.

The Single Perfect Cheese for Wine

“The wine one drinks from one’s glass depends on a vast number of thingsThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.

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