Backsweetening safely

[SLM]

I have some cab in carboys that needs bottling. Not really happy with the flavor, I want to try adding a little sugar to one carboy for comparison. The wine is dry, been aging 2 years. Am I risking re-ferment? I read that adding potassium sorbate to wine that has undergone MLF (which it has) can cause geranium flavor. Is there a good way to do this?

 

[Ohio Bob]

I have some cab in carboys that needs bottling. Not really happy with the flavor, I want to try adding a little sugar to one carboy for comparison. The wine is dry, been aging 2 years. Am I risking re-ferment? I read that adding potassium sorbate to wine that has undergone MLF (which it has) can cause geranium flavor. Is there a good way to do this?

There is no guarantee that the wine will not referment if you add sugar. Conventional wisdom is anything past 9 months of aging USUALLY is enough to kill yeast. But some report referments at longer times.

Regarding MLF, if the MLF fermentation is complete, and two years SHOULD be enough time, then the interaction between MLF and sorbate should not happen. Again note that it should NOT happen, doesn’t mean it won’t. If you’ve been adding Kmeta along the way, most likely the MLF bacteria is dead.

If it was my wine I would add the sugar to taste, add sorbate and Kmeta. Just a note on sorbate, it is recommended to always add Kmeta when adding sorbate. Kmeta also will kill the MLF bacteria, so in this case it may be extra warranted. I might even up the dose by 50%.

 

[winemaker81]

A faster test is to add sugar by the glass. Pour some 6 oz samples and stir in varying amounts of sugar. This saves messing with a full carboy.

You can also try glycerin, 1/2 to 2 oz per gallon. That won't change the flavor, but will add body and smoothness.

 

[distancerunner]

How long has the wine been bulk aging?

 

[distancerunner]

Flavors change during bottle aging.

 

[SLM]

Right. I'm finding that some of my older bottled wines are improved if I add a little sugar at uncorking. I would really like to test the effect after bottle aging. But I don't want to make champagne.