What would you do? (acid results)

[spaniel]

I have ~3.5 gallons of red off my vineyard; it is 2/3 Marechal Foch and 1/3 Oberlin Noir. I did not have acid/pH testing equipment when I started the wine so I don't have the starting numbers.

Now it is at ~14% ABV, SG 0.992, pH 3.89, TA 0.69%. My question is, should I add tartaric acid to bring the pH down? Between the nature of Foch and the oak it is already about as sharp as I want it (as much as you can tell with young wine) so I'm hesitant. But this is my first year acid testing so I'm unsure about whether the pH is too high to store safely.

Modified to correct ABV --- I'm leaning towards leaving as-is as the higher-than-anticipated ABV should make up somewhat for the low pH?

 

[GreginND]

I'd leave it alone. If it tastes good you can deal with the high ph.

 

[ibglowin]

Stick a fork in it. Bump up the Sulfite and let it ride.

 

[spaniel]

Thanks, that confirms my hunch. I just wanted to make sure I was in the bad ju-ju range with pH.

 

[ibglowin]

It's high but I have seen worse. Should be good up to ~3 years out (minimum).

 

[JohnT]

Like others have said, I would go with those numbers and check it a little later on. I am thinking that you may need to add a little acid once fermentation is at an end.

 

[spaniel]

Like others have said, I would go with those numbers and check it a little later on. I am thinking that you may need to add a little acid once fermentation is at an end.

This is last fall's grapes, fermentation is long over. The malolactic finished up in December.

I've been reading up on Foch and I think there are some things I can do to improve next year's and handle higher acid without ruining the taste. The year before this batch, it tasted a bit too sharp...I had the pH more in range but everything was out of balance.

I'm OK with ~3 years' storage...I only have <4 gallons, it will be hard to make it last that long! I also have 15 gallons of very good Cayuga White finishing out but I prefer red wines.