# How do I make my wine more smooth?



## Oracus (May 17, 2011)

As titled I would like to know how most go about making their wine smoother? I just finished my 2nd wine 3 gal of Apple/Raspberry from concentrate.

Starting SG 1.085
Ec1118 yeast 
9 cans of concentrate at start
yeast nutrient

After fermentation was done I rack, sulfate and sorbate the wine. A week later back-sweetened with 3 cans of concentrate. Cleared then bottled. 

So thats the back story. The wine tastes really good not too sweet but just right but you can still taste the alcohol bite. This being my 2nd wine it has greatly improve 1st was closer to 16% abv and it deff had a alcohol bite. So me still being new to this here I am trying to pick the brains of the gurus and ask how do I get my wine smoother? Would adding more body to the wine help? Or is it adding other flavors like oak or something?


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## winemaker_3352 (May 17, 2011)

What is the TA reading?

A lot of times you will need to adjust the TA/SG to smooth things out.

Starting SG is 1.085 - about 11% ABV - that is about right - you might try sweetening it just a tad more - see if that helps things out.

Also keep in mind - apples are high in malic acid - that can also cause a harshness to the wine.


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## djrockinsteve (May 17, 2011)

Yes the amount of acid, tannin will effect the taste. Plus letting your wine age will greatly help. There is a big difference from a 1 month aged wine vs. a year or more.

You cannot beat good quality ingredients and following the correct procedure. Taking short cuts will make a difference.


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## Wade E (May 17, 2011)

Your wine needs time to smooth out! Lots more time!!


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## Tom (May 17, 2011)

Its the 3 "P's" again like Wade said

Patience
Patience
Patience


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## Luc (May 18, 2011)

Like all said above: age your wine.

Taste next year and then give us your comments.

And 16% alcohol is way too much for a wine (some exceptions granted like elderberry). Look at commercial wines. Do not exceed 12% in reds and keep whites at 11%.
A starting SG of 1085 is indeed what you should aim for.

Luc


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## Julie (May 18, 2011)

A lot of people mistake high acid for high alcohol. If u do not have one, get an acid test kit. Check your acid before fermentation and after fermentation, adjust as needed.

And the wine will be much better if you allow it to age some, at least for 6 months


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## Oracus (May 18, 2011)

I still have 1 gal that is unbottled for aging. Ok I had planned on getting one so Ill just do it sooner, is there a recommended acid test kit? I am pretty sure I followed the recipe to the "T". The 16% wine was all my noob mistakes and learning curve.


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## Julie (May 18, 2011)

Oracus said:


> I still have 1 gal that is unbottled for aging. Ok I had planned on getting one so Ill just do it sooner, is there a recommended acid test kit? I am pretty sure I followed the recipe to the "T". The 16% wine was all my noob mistakes and learning curve.



Following the recipe to the T will not give you a good wine. To make a good wine you need to take hydrometer readings, check your acid level and degass. There are a few other things you can do but I truely believe these are your essentials. Go look for a Titration acit kit for arounsd $10, it will be the best $10 you ever spent. 

Don't ever follow a recipe blindly. If you are doing a fruit wine, make sure your sg is around 1.080, acid is .65% to .75% and degass.


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