# Residual sugar



## salernovic (Dec 3, 2015)

hello again everybody. I'm just wondering if my wine is going to finish converting the residual sugar left in it. I sulfites the wine and by using accusing I'm getting a reading of 50 to 60 ppm. Used clinitest tablets to measure residual sugar (after sulfites addition which happened a week ago) and got a reading of 1 percent . What does that mean? Am I going to be able to get a dry wine eventually as so2 diminishes? Or is,the yeast left in my wine dad after the addition?


----------



## sour_grapes (Dec 3, 2015)

I am just curious: Is your goal a dry wine or a sweet wine?

How much sulfite did you add, and when did you add it in the fermentation process?


----------



## Runningwolf (Dec 3, 2015)

That's a tough situation you're in. You added a heavy sulfite addition before fermentation was complete. I assume you have racked a time or two already also. So what kind of wine is this? How long ago did you add the meta? I would age it for at least 6 months, don't add anymore meta and watch the wine (or don't watch it). Do another clinitest after that time and see where your rs is at. If it is zero, bottle and enjoy. If it is still at 1%, bottle, watch for corks pushing and drink it up.

What most folks don't know, is that a good deal of CA. dry red wine has a percentage of rs in it. They understand what the majority of the market will buy. They do not have to disclose the small amount they're adding.


----------



## salernovic (Dec 3, 2015)

It's a Barbera Syrah blend with a ph averaging 3.7 or so, I have 4 carboys. I added the so2 following the 10%solution method trying to get the wine to 60ppm since I did not add any to the must after crush. Racked it after 7 days and then after 44 days( November 12th) the meta I added probably on the 22nd. I was scared of contamination and volatile acidity I guess . Now I'm probably going to rack in January and then in April or May without additions. What do you think?


----------



## salernovic (Dec 3, 2015)

sour_grapes said:


> I am just curious: Is your goal a dry wine or a sweet wine?
> 
> How much sulfite did you add, and when did you add it in the fermentation process?


It's a Barbera Syrah blend with a ph averaging 3.7 or so, I have 4 carboys. I added the so2 following the 10%solution method trying to get the wine to 60ppm since I did not add any to the must after crush. Racked it after 7 days and then after 44 days( November 12th) the meta I added probably on the 22nd. I was scared of contamination and volatile acidity I guess . Now I'm probably going to rack in January and then in April or May without additions. What do you think?


----------



## sour_grapes (Dec 3, 2015)

salernovic said:


> It's a Barbera Syrah blend with a ph averaging 3.7 or so, I have 4 carboys. I added the so2 following the 10%solution method trying to get the wine to 60ppm since I did not add any to the must after crush. Racked it after 7 days and then after 44 days( November 12th) the meta I added probably on the 22nd. I was scared of contamination and volatile acidity I guess . Now I'm probably going to rack in January and then in April or May without additions. What do you think?



Okay, I need to ask some clarifying questions.

When you say "the 10% solution method," are you just telling us how you added the sulfite? As in, you used k-meta diluted with water, then add some of that water to your wine, as shown in this video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4aKyWuPq2o ? And when you say 60 ppm, you are referring to 60 ppm of SO2, right?

Now, I have to ask: Do you own a hydrometer? If so, what specific gravity does it read now? And how does it taste? Does it taste sweet? I can certainly believe that the Clinitest reading could be a little off, so you may be just fine. The hydrometer reading is essentially infallible.


----------



## Runningwolf (Dec 4, 2015)

I respectfully disagree with you Paul on the hydrometer being infallible. There are several factors that can cause a hydrometer reading to be faulty. I have had wine that the hydrometer read under 1.0sg and did not move for days but I know there was still sugar left in the wine. The clinitest is a good backup test.


----------



## sour_grapes (Dec 4, 2015)

Runningwolf said:


> I respectfully disagree with you Paul on the hydrometer being infallible. There are several factors that can cause a hydrometer reading to be faulty. I have had wine that the hydrometer read under 1.0sg and did not move for days but I know there was still sugar left in the wine. The clinitest is a good backup test.



Okay, duly noted. I agree that "infallible" is too strong a term. However, we have no indication that the OP has, in fact, measured the SG. I would still urge that he or she does that to help with the diagnosis.


----------



## salernovic (Dec 4, 2015)

sour_grapes said:


> Okay, I need to ask some clarifying questions.
> 
> When you say "the 10% solution method," are you just telling us how you added the sulfite? As in, you used k-meta diluted with water, then add some of that water to your wine, as shown in this video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4aKyWuPq2o ? And when you say 60 ppm, you are referring to 60 ppm of SO2, right?
> 
> Now, I have to ask: Do you own a hydrometer? If so, what specific gravity does it read now? And how does it taste? Does it taste sweet? I can certainly believe that the Clinitest reading could be a little off, so you may be just fine. The hydrometer reading is essentially infallible.


I'll take a reading with the hydrometer tonite. Yes I did look at the video on how to sulfites wine using the 10 percent solution, I did everything perfect to the millimiter. It actually does not taste sweet , just a little bitter but I can tell it's going to taste good in a year. I just do not want it to referment in the bottle so I'm hoping that some of the sugar will be transformed eventually.


----------



## Runningwolf (Dec 4, 2015)

sour_grapes said:


> Okay, duly noted. I agree that "infallible" is too strong a term. However, we have no indication that the OP has, in fact, measured the SG. I would still urge that he or she does that to help with the diagnosis.



Good point, I missed that part and just assumed.


----------



## salernovic (Dec 4, 2015)

So the hydrometer showed 0.998' just below the 1.000. I guess that's not too bad.I tasted what was supposed be a bad batch of Zinfandel that I blended with some good Alicante to deepen the color since the Zinfandel was looking more like a dark rose even after 7 days of skin contact and tasted very very very bitter and acidic. Now it's more approachable than the Syrah/Barbera blend. Might have to make a third blend....just thought it was interesting, too bad the oh is at 4.01


----------



## salernovic (Dec 4, 2015)

Ph I meant


----------

