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If it tastes sweet, it probably isn't finished fermenting yet, but you would know if the airlock was still bubbling. It also wouldn't be settling if it was still fermenting. Could be a stuck fermentation too, if the yeast didn't have enough nutrients. What was the starting Brix? What is the...

Good to know. Thanks for the info. Why do you add k-sorbate even if you aren't backsweetening? Just to ensure no bottle activity?

Info I've found says that it can impart a "geranium-like" flavor on the wine. But some sources say that as long as the MLF is fully complete you should be okay. I never tried it because I thought the off flavor took a while to develop. I know they say that with aging the k-sorbate will add off...

Good to know about Frontenac up north. It was advertised as super disease resistant a while back. Maybe it was too early to know. I do have some Millot but if we get rain after veraison they can split and then I have to harvest them early. Another reason my wines can end up acidic. I haven't...

Yes, I ordered some grapes and I think I was given a couple of Marquette, given that they were not what I ordered and the nursery only sold several different varieties, one of which was Marquette, and the mystery grape fit its description. It is the first to leaf out in my vineyard, so is...

The only issue with that is that the K-sorbate will add off flavors because of the MLF. winemaker81 suggested adding lysozyme to prevent the off flavors.

Thanks for your help! I'll try those things. Good to have new options.

Thanks for the suggestions! Good to know about the yeast mortality in the aged wine. I didn't know those were certain or likely but winemaker81 said something similar. Cold stabilization is an option and that was suggested too. Tartaric acid isn't as harsh as the malic. I did two batches of...

Thanks for the suggestions! I do cold stabilize my whites and usually because of where I store my carboys, the reds get that too, but I don't intentionally ensure cold temps to drop tartrates. I'll try that. So the lysozyme will prevent the off flavors when you add potassium sorbate? I will try...

Thanks for the response! The varieties I'm talking about are Norton, Frontenac, and some Leon Millot. I don't know of much I can do to adjust the acid besides dilute and chaptalize. I do this for some sweet Concords I make. I'm hesitant to add chemicals that will change the flavor too much just...

I live in a temperate region in the US and grow French-American Hybrids because I can't grow vinifera. As you may know these are much higher in acidity than vinifera varieties, and end up pretty acidic, even harvesting as late as possible (which is impossible most times because of weather...

I always look at my Norton, which produces perfect clusters in any season we have and I know the genetics exist for organic grapes even in the high humidity of the east. But the vines take a while to get established and aren't easily propagated from cuttings. You can't win em all, I guess.

Hey winemaking forum! I've got a 1 acre vineyard in northeastern Missouri. I'm unusual in that I'm growing my grapes organically and have been experimenting for years with varieties and methods to grow grapes organically. I've been doing homemade winemaking for decades but just found this forum...