More acid adjustment?

[pkeeler]

Making my first wine. It is about 7 weeks old. After primary and MLF, the pH has risen from 3.5-3.6 to 3.8 and the TA has fallen from 7 g/l to 5.5 g/l. The grapes were Malbec grapes from Washington, USA.

When I first got the frozen must, I raised the TA with 1 g/l of tartaric acid. The wine tastes pretty good. But, being my first wine, I don't know what wine should taste like at 7 weeks. ;-) I read that a high pH can lead to problems and I wonder if 9-18 months from now, when the fruit flavor that dominates now mellows, if the wine would be flat tasting.

Should I lower the pH? Just let it continue to age and see if it needs acid later? Or continue to taste it periodically and don't worry if it tastes good? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[ibglowin]

Nope, don't mess with it. Your pH and TA were text book perfect to start. What has transpired is a result of fermentation and MLF. Commercial wine from WA state has the exact same same levels (lets just say I test a lot of wines).

Its too late to adjust anyway, if you adjust it should always be before fermentation, not after.

Who is selling fresh grapes from WA state? Man I would kill to gat a few hundred pounds.......

 

[pkeeler]

I got the from Brehm, so frozen fresh. Thanks for the info, good to know that it is a natural outcome.

 

[mmadmikes1]

Washington grapes are avalible in Oct. most dont ship but Brehms does. Guess I'm just lucky living here. Now, If I can road trip to Cali fore grapes you could road trip top WASHINGTON.

 

[Rock]

Nope, don't mess with it. Your pH and TA were text book perfect to start. What has transpired is a result of fermentation and MLF. Commercial wine from WA state has the exact same same levels (lets just say I test a lot of wines).

Its too late to adjust anyway, if you adjust it should always be before fermentation, not after.

Who is selling fresh grapes from WA state? Man I would kill to gat a few hundred pounds.......

I bought Washington state grapes back in october at M and m in Hartford conn.
Just wondering ibglowin what makes you say you cant adjust after fermentation,i know people who do with very good success.

 

[ibglowin]

It is recommended to add acid before the start of fermentation to allow the acid to evolve with the wine and to contribute to it's organoleptic qualities.

It's not that you can't correct after fermentation, its just much better if you adjust beforehand.

 

[djrockinsteve]

It's not that you can't correct after fermentation, its just much better if you adjust beforehand.

Absolutely right. I however did not realize that juices from the east of the US tend to be higher in acid. Had I noticed this I would have adjusted prior fermentation. More difficult afterwards. Adding is easier but you need to cold stab. the wine and you will most likely have precipated acid so best to age rather than bottle and get this in your wine bottles.