Other Semi-sweet Red suggestion

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Bmd2k1

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looking for a suggestion for a Semi-Sweet red to add to my vino stash!


Cheers!
 
Do you want a kit, grapes, juice, or other? If you're looking for a kit, the WE Island Mist line works well, although I recommend chaptalizing up to 11% ABV.

https://winexpert.com/product/?brand[]=island-mist&brand-desc=1
A few years back I made the Black Raspberry (formerly named Black Raspberry/Merlot) and before that the Pomegranate (formerly called Pomegranate/Zinfandel), and both came out good.
 
Do you want a kit, grapes, juice, or other? If you're looking for a kit, the WE Island Mist line works well, although I recommend chaptalizing up to 11% ABV.

https://winexpert.com/product/?brand[]=island-mist&brand-desc=1
A few years back I made the Black Raspberry (formerly named Black Raspberry/Merlot) and before that the Pomegranate (formerly called Pomegranate/Zinfandel), and both came out good.
Kit and will probably go that route! Thanks for the reinforcement :)

Cheers!
 
for those of you that do backsweeten any of your reds -- curious what you use?

Cheers!
 
for those of you that do backsweeten any of your reds -- curious what you use?

Cheers!
Table sugar. I don't use artificial sweeteners, and other sweet product have their own flavor.

I have used juices, however non commercial juices will require another clearing process, unless you backsweeeten early.
 
I use wine conditioner to back sweeten it. Just add some, mix and taste and continue till you get what you like.
 
I am starting a Merlot Kit and got the crazy idea of back sweetening it. I started looking around and found a lot of different ideas to sweeten a red wine and some where just using Grape juice...

So then I thought, would it be best to use the same type of Juice that the wine is made from to maintain the flavor...?

I found a Merlot Juice Concentrate on Amazon and thought that might be good and then use the 100 ml method I saw to get the flavor I am after and then just freeze whatever I don't use. I'm I crazy?
 
I'm I crazy?
Sorry, I cannot comment on your mental health. ;)

Using Merlot juice makes perfect sense. Note that it will dilute the wine, so if your ABV is closer to 10% you need to consider how much you're adding. I suggest you bench test the backsweetening on a gallon of the wine, after it's bulk aged at least 3 months. Depending on the kit, 6 months is better, as it will have matured more and you'll get a better feel for what it will be like at 12 months.

I'd use plain 'ole table sugar as it has minimal effect upon volume and dilution, but juice works fine.

Recently I backsweetened a metheglin (mead with spices) with frozen apple juice concentrate, as it dilutes the mead less than using apple juice.
 

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