Need some advice on what to do

[Brigitte]

Hi. Sure hope someone can give me some sage advice.
I picked my Edelweiss grapes today and have the following numbers
Brix 14.5
pH 7.1
TA 4.3 g/l

I am very new at this. I think I should have harvested grapes sooner but just got my meters in today to test TA and pH and Brix. And the birds found my grapes this morning so I harvested and have them on skins still in clusters chilling in fridge.

I got the sample by crushing a few grapes taken off a variety of clusters.

My questions are is the pH too alkaline to attempt wine?
Is the TA too far off? I read in vines to wine book that I would need an exceptionally high amount of K-meta to kill off unwanted yeast , etc with a pH so high (alkaline)

I realize I will need to add sugar and tartaric acid. But can I make a wine with these grapes ?
Does anyone have any advice ?
Thanks so much.

 

[Scooter68]

Acidity can be adjusted as can the Brix - BUT not having made wine from grapes I cannot tell you if that is far far off from normal or just a bit off.
Once you have all the grapes ready and sugar added then you can get a better acidity test. You should be using K-meta anyway and I don't believe you have to change the dosage for a high pH number - that has to be adjusted anyway and once you do, the normal K-meta amount will do the job.

The sugar content (Brix is too low to make a wine that will really keep at all - right now you are looking at a 7.9% ABV and most folks aim at 11-12% BUT you can add sugar OR grape juice concentrate although the juice will affect the final flavor.

That's all I can add for you - I'm sure someone will help you with more infor shortly.

 

[JohnT]

OK,

so..

Brix 14.5
pH 7.1
TA 4.3 g/l (I assume you mean .43 gpl?)


Here is what I would do...

I would DEFINITELY add acid! I would adjust using tartaric acid to a TA of minimum of .55gpl, then further adjust the acid based on your tastes later.

The brix is low, but should yield 7.9% abv and will yield a VERY dry wine. Low abv does mean that your wine is a little more vulnerable, but at this point I would make the call on adjusting the brix according to your tastes.

 

[Tnuscan]

I think I would raise(using small amount of must-[warmed]- and sugar), the Brix to 20.25 or around a SG of 1.082 or 1.084 . Recheck pH it would be nice to start fermentation with it around upper 3's to 4. by using tartaric acid to bring into this zone. That is if your still at the higher number after re-calibrating your pH meter.

 

[Brigitte]

Thanks for the input everyone provided.
JohnT- my meter reads in grams per liter and did give the 4.3 g/l TA
I had also posted this info over on grape wine making board and grapeman suggested I could have been off on the pH. Which actually ended up being the problem. New meter and a learning curve. pH is actually 3.7. Whew.
I do appreciate all the input. And the good advice !

 

[Johny99]

That pH makes a ton more sense. Still a bit of acid might be good depending on the style you want. As a rule, even without mlf, pH will rise and TA lower during fermentation.

As to sugar, style is your guide. 14.5 is about what I shoot for in a cider. For my grape wines, I go for 18-22 for whites and 20-24 for reds, depends on maturity.

Next year, go with nets and let them mature some more, but better to harvest a bit green than lose them to the birds.

 

[Scooter68]

"Next year, go with nets and let them mature some more, but better to harvest a bit green than lose them to the birds."

Aw, come on, you don't want to let those little robbers strip your trees? You planted those trees just for them - least that's what they think. Expect a lot of squawking next year. I get it when I go under my netting into my blueberry patches. And the contest is for them to find the open spots and me to seal them out. Our cats love the pine needle mulch for a variety of reasons
So they aren't happy when the netting is up either.

 

[Brigitte]

Thanks for the advice johny99 and scooter68!

 

[Johny99]

"Next year, go with nets and let them mature some more, but better to harvest a bit green than lose them to the birds."

Aw, come on, you don't want to let those little robbers strip your trees? You planted those trees just for them - least that's what they think. Expect a lot of squawking next year. I get it when I go under my netting into my blueberry patches. And the contest is for them to find the open spots and me to seal them out. Our cats love the pine needle mulch for a variety of reasons
So they aren't happy when the netting is up either.

Hey, I gave them free run of three cherry trees, the grapes are mine