Adding potassium sorbate to dry wines

[brushwood24]

I've read a couple places that adding potassium sorbate can give a wine a sweet taste and that if you are making a dry wine it's not necessary and should be left out to avoid impacting the taste. I've never seen what exactly is meant by "dry wine" though. Does that just mean a wine that has been allowed to ferment until fermentation stops on it's own? Wouldn't the residual sugars depend on what type of yeast you used?

 

[grapeman]

Generally a dry wine is one that all sugars have been consumed. It is usually below 0.996 and lower. If you don't add excessive potassium sorbate you won't get any flavor from it.

 

[robie]

Even though all our depths of tasting are different, I have read that one would have to add several times the normal dose of sorbate, in order to taste it.

 

[brushwood24]

Well in that case I won't worry about it. Since it's a kit wine and comes with potassium sorbate I'll trust that they know what they are doing and add it.

 

[AlFulchino]

typically you would be adding maybe 5 grams per 6 gallons

 

[Bartman]

You're right to trust the kit assemblers/manufacturers - they almost always know the right amounts to put in. If anything, they occasionally leave something out, but are usually quick to correct any errors.