Checking on our Malolatic Fermentation

In the blogpost on November 30, 2020, I wrote about Vintage 2020:MLF for our Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, checking the malic acid levels in our 2019 and 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, as well as our 2020 Barbera. My husband did the paper chromatography on November 24 and the results were shown in that blog. Just to recap though, here is the result of that experiment:

In the above chromatogram, the side-by-side comparison of the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc with the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc shows that the conversion of malic acid (malate) to lactic acid (lactate) occured in the 2019 reds. The paper chromatogram also shows that the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc contains tartaric acid, malic acid and lactic acid. After malolatic fermentation (MLF) the disappearance of malic acid indicates that this secondary fermentation has occurred.
Here is the paper chromatogram of the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Barbera after MLF that my husband ran on February 17, 2021:

In order to make the comparison a bit easier to see, I cut and pasted the two chromatograms to show the November 24, 2020 and the February 17, 2021 results here:

The red ovals in lanes 4,5, and 6 indicates the malic acid and the chromatogram taken on February 17, 2021 lanes 7,8, and 9 shows the disapparence of that spot. This indicates that the malic acid-->lactic acid conversion has occurred. In lane 9, which is the Barbera, there is still a residual spot of malic acid indicating that the MLF may still be going on, albiet very slowly.