WineXpert My reds are very "tart/sour"

[PolishWineP]

Sally, I too am disappointed to hear that you won't be at WineStock this year.

I was hoping you'd be able to make it. I enjoyed your enthusiasm and conversation last year. Maybe next year.
I think that everyone should send Sally a bottle of wine to keep her out of her young babies until they are ready to drink.

 

[Waldo]

Count me in PWP...All I need is an addy

 

[sally3]

Oh my...you are all so nice, thank you! I enjoyed you also
PWP. Maybe by the time Winestock rolls around I will be able to
get away. Right now it doesn't seem possible but one never
knows. I will try to send some bottles down for expert
tasting.



What I find odd is when I first starting making wines they were
palatable right out of the carboy and after a short period of bottle
shock, good again shortly thereafter. Now I am waiting months and
they are still tart and sour. I think I've gotten sloppy and am
doing something wrong. I will take your advice and give it some
time.



Peter, I live in Spring Lake, Mi and we have very good quality water
here...they bottle Ice Mountain just North of where I live.



Thank you all.

 

[Wade E]

I think that our tastes are improving or that you are just becoming
self concious of your wine. Your wines are the same or better but we
start expecting better quality from ourselves as we learn more. What
quality kits did you start off with and what quality kits are you
making now. I think it might be kind of like buying a new car, at first
its the greatest thing that you own but as soon as the novelty wears
off its just another good car.

 

[PeterZ]

Sally, Spring Lake looks like a lovely place to live. You get your water from the Northwest Ottawa Water System, and the quality is quite good - very much like the 3000 year old water from the Memphis Sands Aquifer that I use for wine. Your tap water is fine as-is for winemaking.

Memphis Light, Gas & Water actually bottles Memphis tap water for the Chamber of Commerce, who use the bottled water, labeled City of Memphis Tap Water, to help attract businesses to Memphis.

 

[Waldo]

How about my water Peter. Mine comes from Salem Water Users in BEnton

 

[sally3]

Peter, that is very interesting. Our city fathers also bottle our
water and sell it at every event...and we have lots of them. This
is an interesting area to live. The fur trading and lumbering
industry was huge here so there are a lot of historical landmarks which
bring 300,000 plus visitors to this town for two very busy weeks every
year. Thanks for checking...I still do filter our
water.

 

[PeterZ]

Waldo, if I found the right site, your water is largely like Memphis diluted 1:1 with distilled water. Very pure. Your iron and copper content are higher than I would like to see for some industrial processes, but no problem for wine making - your wine adds iron to your diet! The metals are a result of low pH and very low alkalinity that makes them mildly corrosive. Since wine has a much lower pH this is not a problem.

The only other thing that jumped out at me was a fluoride level of 4 ppm. That's a little high, but I wouldn't be surprized if pediatric dentristy in your area is a road to bankruptcy. Floridation is normally done at 1 ppm. ["Floridation is a Commie plot, Mandrake!" - anyone know who said that?] A childhood of drinking water at 15 ppm F will result in blackened tooth enamel - a common problem in under-developed countries whth high F water where the only fluids the children drink are water and breast milk.

A little more PeterZ trivia.

 

[Waldo]

Thanks Peter.....I'll quit buying the spring water now to make my wines with