what i learned today

[djrockinsteve]

I learn something basically but today I learned something about wine making I did not know.

If you stop a must fermenting in the primary at a specific gravity, say 1.010 ex: that it will be taste sweeter than a must/wine fermented dry then backsweetened to 1.010

Which brings about a good question. If you post in a recipe or tell someone a wine you made has a s.g. of ?, how sweet is that really. I guess personal preference takes presidence.

 

[Julie]

I learn something basically but today I learned something about wine making I did not know.

If you stop a must fermenting in the primary at a specific gravity, say 1.010 ex: that it will be taste sweeter than a must/wine fermented dry then backsweetened to 1.010

Which brings about a good question. If you post in a recipe or tell someone a wine you made has a s.g. of ?, how sweet is that really. I guess personal preference takes presidence.

Steve, this is really interesting. Why would it be sweeter, I would think 1.010 is 1.010 no matter how you got there.

Thanks for the post.

 

[winemaker_3352]

Less alc % - it doesn't ferment all the sugar out.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Steve, this is really interesting. Why would it be sweeter, I would think 1.010 is 1.010 no matter how you got there.

Thanks for the post.

The main sugars in grapes are fructose and glucose. Fructose is about twice as sweet as glucose. Fructose is roughly 1 1/2 times sweeter than sucrose (table sugar). Therefore back sweetening with sucrose will fall short the sweetness as fructose yet their weights must be about the same gravity speaking.

Plus as mentioned you will have a lower alcohol.

 

[Runningwolf]

Less alc % - it doesn't ferment all the sugar out.

but you're adding the sugar back in after fermenting dry to achieve the same sg.

 

[Wade E]

What winemaker was stating is that there was less abv so the sweetness is more perceived. Another thought is that when fermenting a wine lots of aromas and taste is lost and by not fermenting it all out you wouldnt loose as much taste and this is one treason I will get a sterile filtration system eventually as Ive learned this from a few wineries around here that Ive spoken with who make a lot of fruit wines.

 

[djrockinsteve]

I updated my post. Too many sugars in the world.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Here is the quote from Modern Winemaking-Philip Jackisch

p.76

"Most wine yeasts ferment glucose faster than fructose. Since fructose is sweeter, stopping a fermentation before a wine reaches dryness gives a higher fructose/glucose ratio and a sweeter taste than a dry wine sweetened to the same sugar content with cane sugar or grape concentrate."

 

[countrygirl]

very interesting steve, especially for those who prefer sweet/sweeter wines, whether same s.g. or perceived by the palate.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Which brings up the question...Which would be a "better" taste, stopped fermentation or back sweetening?

 

[countrygirl]

personal preference?? all my first wines went dry (lambrusco, blueberry and peach), then i started pulling quicker for skeeter pee slurry. today, i tasted my blueberry (that was fpac and backsweeten) and it's still pretty "dry" feeling? the blackberry was just sweetened so i'll have to wait a little for a true comparison, but to just taste it, it is "sweeter"...hmmm
i pulled the beaujolais and chardonnel at 1.005ish...haven't tasted those yet.

 

[winemaker_3352]

What winemaker was stating is that there was less abv so the sweetness is more perceived. Another thought is that when fermenting a wine lots of aromas and taste is lost and by not fermenting it all out you wouldnt loose as much taste and this is one treason I will get a sterile filtration system eventually as Ive learned this from a few wineries around here that Ive spoken with who make a lot of fruit wines.

Yeah that is what i was referring too - sometimes i have a hard time putting things into words

 

[countrygirl]

Yeah that is what i was referring too - sometimes i have a hard time putting things into words

don't put it into words, put it into wine, lol lol

 

[winemaker_3352]

don't put it into words, put it into wine, lol lol

That is exactly why i can't put it into words

 

[Wade E]

i pulled the beaujolais and chardonnel at 1.005ish...haven't tasted those yet.

What exactly do you mean by this?

 

[countrygirl]

What exactly do you mean by this?

i racked before they went <1.000
or do u mean the "haven't tasted 'em part"
lol
i got a "taste" of the beaujolais when racking, but i don't think that counts. i'm not "concentrating" on it. too busy worried about not spilling, etc.
the chardonnel just got racked and it was from bucket to secondary with hose, so no little cheat tastes, lol, ...yet....

 

[Wade E]

Okay, I thought you were trying to state that you were trying to stop it from finishing fermenting.

 

[countrygirl]

nah, just currently skeeter pee addicted