Consistent back sweetening

[space]

I need to be able to consistently back sweeten my wine year after year, producing the same wine. How can you do this on a commercial basis?

Also, when experimenting with wine, what variables do you change other than SG? Will different PH, SO2 levels, TA change the taste appreciably?

Thanks for any replies.

 

[grapeman]

Welcome to the forum space.


You ask some very good questions.
If all variables are the same, you would determine how much to sweeten by using the SG. After fermenting dry, sweeten a bit at a time recording how much you added. When you are where you want to be, record the SG and then following years you have a target to shoot for.


Unfortunately, you will seldom get the same pH,TA and original brix from year to year if you make the wine from fresh grapes. If you have your own vineyard, you can aim to harvest at goal figures for those things. That way you try to get as close as possible to those beginning values.

 

[space]

Thanks appleman, there's a TON of helpful information here and I'm happy to be a member.

I figured that would be the case as far as back sweetening, I just wanted to make sure. One more question if you don't mind.. How much water is typically added to a 6 gallon fermenting bucket when using 4-5 lbs of grapes per gallon?

 

[grapeman]

What variety of grapes are you thinking of working with? If it is a wine grape, you typically use all juice or about 10-15 pounds of grapes per gallon. If you use some wild or American grapes, they have too much acid if not diluted. That is when you would add water to reduce the acid. The variety you plan to use would be very helpful.

 

[space]

Scuppernong, Carlos, and Noble of the muscadine species.

 

[grapeman]

Those varieties certainly need cutting. Do a search for Muscadine wine under Waldo's name for any date and see if you can get a recipe. If not as a specific question about Muscadine Wine and Waldo will pick up on it for sure.

 

[space]

Thanks appleman.

 

[grapeman]

Hey space, here is a shortcut to a video Waldo did on making Muscadine Wine. Hope it explains a couple things for you.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFjgvRa1SmQ"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFjgvRa1SmQ[/ame]