Should muscadine wine be completely dry?

[olusteebus]

Seems to me it should be semi sweet. I know it depends on taste. I like dry wine but I am thinking muscadine should be about 1.005 to 1.010.

What is your opinion?

 

[captainl]

I just sweetened to what I thought tasted good. Seamed a little flavorless dry but the sugar brought out some good flavors. I didn't use much. Maybe 1 cup in 2 gallons. I didn't take an sg reading though. Also these where wild ones and it wad my first year making muscadine.

 

[Julie]

The sugar does bring out the flavor much better than just dry. Test two glasses, one 1.005 and the other 1.010. I backsweeten to 1.010 on mine that is where the flavor seems to be the best.

 

[seth8530]

I back sweetened my muscadine to around 1.012

 

[novalou]

Seems to me it should be semi sweet. I know it depends on taste. I like dry wine but I am thinking muscadine should be about 1.005 to 1.010.

What is your opinion?

I have a dry Concord right now that doesn't taste very good. But when I backsweeten a bit, it turns out great.

Let your taste buds judge whether it is good dry or better backsweetened a bit.

 

[Rodnboro]

I have several gallons bulk aging. My local winery makes great muscadine. Their best IMHO is sweetened to 1.010. I'll be testing mine when they're ready with different sweetening levels.

 

[olusteebus]

Thanks to all. I was thinking a little sweet would be the way to go. I will try 1.005 and 1.010.

 

[grassybranchwines]

One thing to consider. I made about 10 gallon of muscadine wine in 2011. I let it age for 12 months and slightly sweetened it before I bottled it. Some of the first bottles that I opened in the fall of 2012 was a little dryer than I wanted them to be. This was one year old wine. by the time that we opened the last bottles this past month which was about 17 months old, I was so glad that I had not sweetened any more than I had originally sweetened. The last bottles were perfect. My point is don't over do it up front.

 

[ffemt128]

I generally go with mine around 1.008. I oaked some Noble last year with Medium French toast. Wow was it good.