I made a batch of Cabernet this past fall. The grapes were a little over ripe and the acid was low so I added quite a bit. Testing showed it was fine, I completed MLF (which testing shows now at 0) and still, the wine just tastes acidic. It's aging now and I've racked a couple of times. I did cold stabilization and still it tastes very acidic. Testing shows the numbers are good, but the taste is not right. Should I try to back sweeten with a simple sugar solution? I'm afraid to use conditioner since I used the MLF on it. It's sitting on dark toast American and medium toast French oak right now. The oak has mellowed it a bit, but I just can't seem to get over the acid on the finish.
Cabertnet too acidic
- Thread starter Millzy64
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I would not use any sorbate after MLF. You are risking ruining the wine.
I presume you added Tartaric acid. MLF will not reduce tartaric.
Have you tested the pH and TA? What are the numbers?
I would say your option at this point is to blend it with a lower acid wine or do a minor adjustment with potassium carbonate and cold stabilize again to drop the potassium tartrate.
I presume you added Tartaric acid. MLF will not reduce tartaric.
Have you tested the pH and TA? What are the numbers?
I would say your option at this point is to blend it with a lower acid wine or do a minor adjustment with potassium carbonate and cold stabilize again to drop the potassium tartrate.
peaches9324
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I would let it age longer in a very cool and dark place before taking any further action it's still a very young wine good luck with it! Plus what GreginND has just inquired about
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Wiz
Senior Member
I make approx. 30 gallon cab sauv each year from imported Italian bulk concentrate and have been doing so for about the past 5 years. I have found that this wine does not even approach drinkability until about 6 months and is all but ready after 9 months of aging. Really ready at 1 year.
WellingtonToad
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The clue to the sharpness could be in the grape variety. Cabernet - lots of tannin!!!
You may have been very effective in extracting the tannins during fermentation. Well done.
As has been said by many above you could just wait until the tannins drop from the wine. You could also try fining the wine with egg whites.
As winemaker, the choice is yours.
You may have been very effective in extracting the tannins during fermentation. Well done.
As has been said by many above you could just wait until the tannins drop from the wine. You could also try fining the wine with egg whites.
As winemaker, the choice is yours.
Thanks for the replies. Maybe it is just too young and I need to wait for the oak and time to work it's magic. I did add Tartaric acid to the must and I'm sure that's what I'm tasting.
Here's the numbers.
Pre-fermentation
TA: .75
PH 3.8
Post Fermentation:
TA: .70
PH: 4
After MLF and Cold Stabilization:
TA: .65
MLF: 0
PH not tested yet.
Keep in mind my numbers are probably not 100%. I'm just using Accu-Vin test kits so they're probably close, but not perfect.
Here's the numbers.
Pre-fermentation
TA: .75
PH 3.8
Post Fermentation:
TA: .70
PH: 4
After MLF and Cold Stabilization:
TA: .65
MLF: 0
PH not tested yet.
Keep in mind my numbers are probably not 100%. I'm just using Accu-Vin test kits so they're probably close, but not perfect.
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Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
Your TA at 0.65 is about optimal. So if your strips are accurate, I wouldn't change anything there. I can tell you that my old vine zin from last fall still has a bite. It is just typicall of young wine. What is your ABV?
sdelli
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Cab will soften over time. It is the main bulk of wine I make each year.... I have not bottled my 2013 harvest yet! Tasted it a couple days ago..... It is young wine! But very good. When people taste it they use the word "strong".... But I know it has not softened yet... I can taste the potential in the background. I will bottle in a month or two and start to drink at a young age of about two years old! When they drink my 2012 Cab..... They love it! I am adding 5% Petite Verdot to this batch..... My 2014 Cab.... Still in diapers! lol.....
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Appreciate all the responses and I guess there's not much to do but wait and maybe toss a little more oak at it. It just worries me since I've made a lot of Cab, Merlot and other reds in the past and although they all have really heavy tannins when they were young, I've never had this acid taste like this before. I'll give it another month, a few more ounces of American oak and taste again.
