Chemical acid reduction

[Rob_S]

Usually do my blend of Frontenac/Marquette/St-Croix grapes with a malolactic fermentation. The wine usually finishes somewhere about TA 8 and pH between 3.4 and 3.5. Last year the wine finished at TA 7.1 and pH of 3.50. That was the best I got so far. I always do a cold stabilization and seed with cream of tartar.

A few people also suggested I do a chemical acid reduction of the must. Any benefits to doing this with the way my wine usually finishes? Are the risks worth taking?

Thanks,

Rob

 

[ibglowin]

Blending with higher ph (lower TA) wine is always 1st choice. Next is cold stabilization with or with out seeding. Last is reduction via salt (calcium or potassium carbonate). No real risk here except for over correcting which is not good so if you go this route read up on it first. Safest practice is to take a gallon out and then salt it. Precipitate out the acid. Rack off the wine diamonds, then add back to the main carboy of wine and see where you end up. Rinse, repeat until you hit the sweet spot.

 

[salcoco]

why fix something that is not broke unless you want to experiment. if so use small batches.