Riesling - Off Dry Techniques

[freddie]

I'm going to have a go at a Riesling this year. My plan is to try and make a batch of 30L in a dry style and a batch of 30L in an "Off Dry" style.

My problem is I've no idea how to achieve this off dry style. So here's a few questions - at what SG do you stop fermentation to achieve this. How do I measure how many grams per litre of residual suger I'm left with at any stage.

As I've no idea how sweet an off dry style should be, how much residual suger should I end up with to achieve this style.

What is the best approach to achieve this off dry style Riesling - my preliminary reading suggests that you can ferment to dryness and then back sweeten. Alternatively, I need to stop fermenation at a stage, which appears to be quite difficult to achieve hence the other approach.

What other considerations do I need to take into account in attempting this Riesling batch.

 

[Julie]

Dont try and stop this to make an off dry wine, the chances of you succeeding in stopping it exactly where you want it are pretty slim. Ferment to dry, stablize (by adding k-meta and sorbate) and then take some wine out, add about a cup of sugar, warm it up until sugar is dissolve, do not boil and add that back to the wine. Stir it up, taste it and if that is where you would want it for sweetness, take a hydrometer reading so now in the future you know were to sweeten it.

 

[Dugger]

In addition to the standard back sweetening method described by Julie, you can also use the Suisse reserve method which is saving some of the grape juice and adding it back after stabilizing. This will sweeten the wine and also augment the flavour.

 

[Deezil]

I was going to suggest what Dugger mentioned... Siphon off a portion of the must prior to yeast-pitch, sulfite it and stick it in a fridge or something until the wine can ferment down, rack off gross lees, rack off sur lees, and stabilize with sulfite+sorbate.. Then add that refridgerated/sulfited must to the fermented-stabilized wine

 

[freddie]

Thanks for the suggestions. Deezil, Exactly how much juice should I siphon off. I plan on doing about 50L in a Off Dry style.

Do I add the siphoned juice until I reach the desired level of sweetness or should I be referring to my Hydrometer and take readings to tag the SG readings at incremental additions.

Presumably if I over sweeten, I could add back some dry wine from my other batch, yes ?.

Also, I I opt to back sweeten, can I use normal white suger or is a different product required.

 

[Deezil]

I would think you wouldn't need any more than 3-4L, but the perception of "off-dry" is tied to a balance between the sweetness and acidity.. So it partly depends on your acid levels, enough so that you'll need to do bench trials to determine the appropriate sweetness for the finished product but i would think even with 4-5L, that you'd still have some unfermented juice leftover after sweetening

If you go the backsweetening route, anything other than white cane sugar will influence the flavor.. And white cane sugar would be inferior to the Suss Reserve method...

 

[manibd04]

Sweetening a Dry batch

Dont try and stop this to make an off dry wine, the chances of you succeeding in stopping it exactly where you want it are pretty slim. Ferment to dry, stablize (by adding k-meta and sorbate) and then take some wine out, add about a cup of sugar, warm it up until sugar is dissolve, do not boil and add that back to the wine. Stir it up, taste it and if that is where you would want it for sweetness, take a hydrometer reading so now in the future you know were to sweeten it.

Hi Julie,
Can you use left over natural juice to sweet up the batch? Or it's better to use the sugar?
I'm on my 7week with Pinneaplbe, natural fruit/juice, wine on a 6gl. My SG reading still below the 1.000, what SG should we get after adding the sugar/juice and in what timeframe?
Thank you very much for your input,
Mani-VA

 

[Julie]

Hi Julie,
Can you use left over natural juice to sweet up the batch? Or it's better to use the sugar?
I'm on my 7week with Pinneaplbe, natural fruit/juice, wine on a 6gl. My SG reading still below the 1.000, what SG should we get after adding the sugar/juice and in what timeframe?
Thank you very much for your input,
Mani-VA

Actually left over natural juice is better, that would add more flavor to your wine. If you are below 1.000 then the wine is probably done fermenting. Take a reading three days in a row and if there is no change, then it is done. Before adding the juice, make sure you stabilize the wine by adding k-meta and sorbate. Go for 1.006 and then taste it to see if you like that or feel it needs to be sweeter. Actually, I would think 1.010 would be a good number for a pineapple wine but like I said go for something a little drier and then slowly work you way up.

 

[Geronimo]

Another method I've used to achieve an off-dry Riesling is to buy some white grape concentrate (just 1 or 2 cans). Add about half a can, mix, taste... repeat.

Also I've heard that apple juice concentrate is excellent. Just be sure to get 100% juice.

 

[manibd04]

Sweetening wine

Actually left over natural juice is better, that would add more flavor to your wine. If you are below 1.000 then the wine is probably done fermenting. Take a reading three days in a row and if there is no change, then it is done. Before adding the juice, make sure you stabilize the wine by adding k-meta and sorbate. Go for 1.006 and then taste it to see if you like that or feel it needs to be sweeter. Actually, I would think 1.010 would be a good number for a pineapple wine but like I said go for something a little drier and then slowly work you way up.

Thank you for the quick reply Julie,
How long will it take for the stabilization?
What you mean by a little drier? Lower SG? which brings another observation, my Hydrometer (Triplescale) doesn't read much lower than 1.00- is that normal?
Again- thank you and everyone for the feedback on this great adventure of ours.
A newbie from VA-mani

 

[Julie]

manibd04,

The lowest reading on your hydrometer should be .990. I know there are some that will read lower but I don't see the need.

When your wine is done fermenting, you can add the k-meta and sorbate. What I like to do, is ferment to dry, add k-meta and leave it age for 3 months, then rack, add k-meta and sorbate, then backsweeten to my desired sweetness and let that age for another 3 months then bottle. I backsweeten at the same time as to when I add the k-meta and sorbate, others feel that you should add the k-meta and sorbate and then wait about a week before adding any sugar. I don't see the need for that.

And yes, "a little dryer" means a lower hydrometer reading.

Does this help answer your questions?

 

[manibd04]

manibd04,

The lowest reading on your hydrometer should be .990. I know there are some that will read lower but I don't see the need.

When your wine is done fermenting, you can add the k-meta and sorbate. What I like to do, is ferment to dry, add k-meta and leave it age for 3 months, then rack, add k-meta and sorbate, then backsweeten to my desired sweetness and let that age for another 3 months then bottle. I backsweeten at the same time as to when I add the k-meta and sorbate, others feel that you should add the k-meta and sorbate and then wait about a week before adding any sugar. I don't see the need for that.

And yes, "a little dryer" means a lower hydrometer reading.

Does this help answer your questions?

Yes, a lot. Thank you Julie
Mani-VA