# how to make wine less acidic



## Deemur2 (Nov 29, 2013)

Hello again...I was wondering if anyone could tell me if there is a way to make a red wine less acidic? would it be the metatataric acid i would add at bottling? If not, what can i use? please and thank you
Dee


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## ShawnDTurner (Nov 29, 2013)

Can you post your current PH. and Total acid measurements?


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## Fabiola (Nov 29, 2013)

There is an additive call "Calcium Carbonate (Precipitated chalk)", which is used to lower acid in must, I have never used it but is the only product that I know.

http://www.piwine.com/calcium-carbonate-powder-usp.html


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## Arne (Nov 30, 2013)

Try it in a glass first, but a small emphasize small pinch of baking soda will help get rid of some of it. Arne.


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## Turock (Nov 30, 2013)

If your wine is already acidic, you wouldn't want to add more acid--I think you meant tartaric acid. The way to handle acidity is dealing with it pre-ferment by using a PH meter to get accurate readings and using calcium carbonate to bring the PH into line.

After the ferment, you can tweak PH with potassium carbonate. But moving the PH several tenths with it is not recommended because it can damage nose and flavor. This is why it's always best to learn how to adjust PH (and possibly TA) before you begin your ferments.

If you Google potassium carbonate, you'll find some white papers that discuss it and how to use it. Your wine could benefit from it. Once you read on it, you'll have a better understanding of it and then you can decide if this is the proper way to go.


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## novalou (Nov 30, 2013)

Deemur2 said:


> Hello again...I was wondering if anyone could tell me if there is a way to make a red wine less acidic? would it be the metatataric acid i would add at bottling? If not, what can i use? please and thank you Dee



You can also add a small amount of water.


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## Deemur2 (Nov 30, 2013)

ShawnDTurner said:


> Can you post your current PH. and Total acid measurements?


sorry, this person has it already bottled and finds it too acidic. i thought i might put it all back into a pail and add something to it and leave it a week and rack it and bottle it again?


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## Deemur2 (Nov 30, 2013)

Turock said:


> If your wine is already acidic, you wouldn't want to add more acid--I think you meant tartaric acid. The way to handle acidity is dealing with it pre-ferment by using a PH meter to get accurate readings and using calcium carbonate to bring the PH into line.
> 
> After the ferment, you can tweak PH with potassium carbonate. But moving the PH several tenths with it is not recommended because it can damage nose and flavor. This is why it's always best to learn how to adjust PH (and possibly TA) before you begin your ferments.
> 
> If you Google potassium carbonate, you'll find some white papers that discuss it and how to use it. Your wine could benefit from it. Once you read on it, you'll have a better understanding of it and then you can decide if this is the proper way to go.


thank you for your quick response. These people already have bottled it and it is 7 months aged and they find that they get heartburn from drinking it...ugh..they asked if there was anything i could do to make it less acidic (they have another batch of it coming up very shortly for racking). I appreciate your help.
dee


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## Snafflebit (Nov 30, 2013)

I too get heartburn, but I would rather take the antacid first then drink the wine rather than mix it into my wine. Getting older is fun!


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## Turock (Dec 1, 2013)

Deemur---you'd really have to be able to take a PH reading. This is best when done with a meter. You COULD try the potassium carb as I suggested. But without knowing the PH, you wouldn't know if the dose of Potassium carb would be too much. PLUS--when you use potassium carb it clouds the wine and you have to allow it to clear for about 3-4 months. It also converts, as it is allowed to sit.

Seeing where you're at--and that it's someone else's wine-- the best to do is to blend it with another wine--even a commercial one if they don't have anything to blend with. What kind of wine IS this?


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## Turock (Dec 1, 2013)

I just re-read your post on this. A red wine that is 7 months old will be very young tasting. All red wines need proper bulk aging--at least 1 year--and then many of these need 1-2 years of aging in the bottle. I'm wondering if this isn't why it tastes tart,also.


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