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I can only guess that you know by now this has been the iggest pain-in-the-youknowwhat. I restarted it the end of December with some Champagne yeast attempting to get the residual sugar down, and the alcohol content up to at least 10 percent. Well, I didn’t succeed. Sure, the alcohol is at an acceptable level, but the residual sugar makes this a dessert wine candidate. At this point, all I can do is clear up the leftovers, top with enough alcohol to ensure my bottles don’t explode [when I decide to bottle] and call it a success.
If a first you don’t succeed, lower your expectations.
I put this picture in to show you what is left in the carboy-lots of grape tannins, dead yeast and blackberry tannins. Not much, but enough to interfere with the clearing process.
I added Pottatsium metabisulphite to the carboy to kill the yeast gently…I honor of the El Nino/Pineapple Express we are experiencing here in the Pacific Northwest, I topped with a pineapple/citric wine that has a 17.5 percent alcohol to hopefully raise the overall alcohol level to a safe bottle point. I won’t say I am a wine conniseur, but I know my wine-crafting skills, and this will bring it close (almost!) at 10 percent.
Will let it set over the rest of winter-about 3 months/re-rack and let you know.
wow. sorry about this batch destiny. i have read and seen u struggle with it. i hope it comes out well.
where do u think u went wrong? what should we steer clear of?
gl
Damage
What, me do something wrong? Never…it was the grapes being too high in sugar…I should have diluted the batch with more distilled water until I got a sg reading of 1090 instead of letting the juice be at 1120. The yeast just couldn’t handle the high sugar. Even the champagne yeast had a difficult time of it. It is an incredible wine still!
i was always told not to use distilled water. but, use spring or tap water because they have more minerals for the yeast to use.
ya starting a must at 1120 with montracht yeast is "wrong" lol
im glad it still taste good.
cheers dr
I used Red Star Cuvee yeast..and typo it was 1102…and yeah spring water. When you harvest that late in the fall the sugar is very dense and hard to digest…
I am going to stick with Lalvin from now on for this Late Harvest Pinot Gris if I do it next year- K1-V116 has a performance temp range of 50-95 degrees, is a rapid starter, fruit flavors are retained longer, good sugar tolerance with an average of 12-14 percent alcohol, but has been known to go as high as 18% alcohol tolerance.