RJ Spagnols Super Tuscan has a slightly sweet taste

[Schuster1]

I recently bottled a batch of Super Tuscan that I had bulk aging for the past six months. I decided to open a bottle and taste my efforts. I was surprised to discover the taste was slightly sweeter then I expected. Will this go away over time? Is this because of the grape skins ?

 

[tonyt]

I find that kit just off dry. We love that way. Other brands of ST are more dry and less fruity.

 

[vabeachbear]

I recently bottled a batch of Super Tuscan that I had bulk aging for the past six months. I decided to open a bottle and taste my efforts. I was surprised to discover the taste was slightly sweeter then I expected. Will this go away over time? Is this because of the grape skins ?

Tried my first split of my EP Amarone. Bulk aged one year, bottled 6 months ago. Had the same taste upon opening. Was a little bummed because it was a little to fruit forward. After another taste kind of got a little alcohol on the mid palate, and really tannicy on back end.

Tried some two hours later and it had calmed down a bit. I don't think its ready yet, and needs some more time. I have planned to leave it for at least two years, think it might need some more time.

 

[Boatboy24]

I filtered my Super Tuscan last night. Started in early December, so it's still young. It is definitely more fruit forward than most, but still really, really good. After my little sample sat out for an hour or so, the dryness and tannins were a little more pronounced.

 

[rjb222]

I recently bottled a batch of Super Tuscan that I had bulk aging for the past six months. I decided to open a bottle and taste my efforts. I was surprised to discover the taste was slightly sweeter then I expected. Will this go away over time? Is this because of the grape skins ?

I have found kits that use skins need time particularly kits with wet skins. Being slightly sweet on the tongue is a indication of a fruit forward wine. This will marry into the total structure of the wine with some rest time. The actual sweetness of the wine as far as alcohol content can actually be measured but taking you first sg measurement minus the final sg measurement and multiply that by 133. This will give you your approximate alcohol content. 0 on the sweetness scale is what kit manufactures shoot for 0 is considered to be any thing below 0.998 on your hydrometer as a final sg measure. Hope this helps.

 

[Bacci]

I have found kits that use skins need time particularly kits with wet skins. Being slightly sweet on the tongue is a indication of a fruit forward wine. This will marry into the total structure of the wine with some rest time. The actual sweetness of the wine as far as alcohol content can actually be measured but taking you first sg measurement minus the final sg measurement and multiply that by 133. This will give you your approximate alcohol content. 0 on the sweetness scale is what kit manufactures shoot for 0 is considered to be any thing below 0.998 on your hydrometer as a final sg measure. Hope this helps.

I considered .990 sg to be bone-dry(is that a wine term?)

 

[seth8530]

I think most would consider 1 and below dry.. but yeah i have never gotten drier that. 990

 

[rjb222]

I know 1.000 is what is considered a dry wine. 0.998 is only 2 points below that and I get these kits to there all the time. /The only kits I get lower than 0.998 are kits with out skins. I believe it is due to the dissolved solids that come from the skins and there fore more to keep the hydrometer floating higher. I have never achieved a 0.990 with a kit wine most average between 0.998 and 0.996 a few will go down to 0.992 mostly white though again I think this has more to do with the dissolved solids than the actual lowering of the sugar level to make a drier wine.

 

[seth8530]

You would think that if you had a completly clear wine that the solids in the wine would not matter all that much.... this however is speculation..

 

[Geronimo]

Yep, the ST starts with the perception of sweetness but it changes over the first year to a very nice fruit forward character.

As far as skins goes, I haven't noticed that wet skins have left me with 0.998 versus 0.996 consistently, but it kind of makes some sense. Some of those "skins" packs are a lot of goopy, syrupy sugar stuff.

 

[Bacci]

I've have had some white wine kits not go lower than .998/.996, for accuracy, has anyone ever used a refractometer on the end results of a kit? I will say that .990 sg as bone dry, referres mostly to my fresh grape/fruit batches.

 

[Geronimo]

I use a refractometer all the time, but when using one with really dark liquids the results are questionable. Also, for final gravity, the refrac can only go to 0 accurately.

To get down below 0.996 you need to have high alcohol, usually attained by adding pure sugar. Ethyl alcohol is 0.787. A nicely balanced wine should land below 1.000 but above 0.994 if it's going to have body and flavor to it. Hitting 0.990 means almost a full percent of extra alcohol.

 

[seth8530]

Also, need to remember refractometers can not be used directly for sg measurements oncr fermentation has begun.

 

[Geronimo]

And no matter which formula you use, it's still not accurate. Save it to say... for wine I'll stick with the hydrometer all the time.

 

[rjb222]

A refractometer is for measuring sugar. Once alcohol is present they are not nearly as accurate of a sugar measurement although there are charts for adjustment a Hydrometer is more accurate. Hydrometers measure density so the more dissolved solids present the higher the measurement will be without more sugar present. Both systems are just a guide line a place to start and monitor the progression from. The only way to be super accurate is using the burn method where they send samples to the lab and they burn off the impurities and measure what is left very expensive but wineries do this to get accurate final measurements of alcohol. Also with skin kits there is a bit more alcohol made and this will add a sweetness of it's own to the flavor profile. Again time is needed to marry all the flavors and aromas together into a final pleasing product.

 

[rjb222]

Even in a clear wine there are dissolved solids more so in reds than whites but unless a liquid is absolutely clear there is particulate that causes light to refract and that is the colour we see.

 

[SouthernChemist]

Don't forget that S.G. is dependent on the temperature, as well.