I have 6 carboys of different reds aging and should be ready to be bottled. They are all started from pasteurized juice (Festa juice). They all seem to have a acidy taste or somewhat tart. I do add sugar and various fruit preserves when I pitch the juice and have had pretty good outcomes so far. I feel like they need an MLF but I read that MLF is not necessary when using pasteurized juice. Is there another way I can soften the mouth feel? I just tried adding some tannin.
Acidy taste
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MLF and pasteurized juice have nothing to do with each other. Juice from grapes are composed of three primary acids, tartaric (mostly), malic, and citric. Malic acid is a rather harsh acid. Malolactic Bacteria (MLB) converts that to Lactic acid and CO2. In doing so, the overall amount of acid decreases and it gets smoother. It is generally recommended in all red wines (except those made from wine kits). MLB is a somewhat finicky ferment, and ferment isn't really the correct word, but it is what is used. MLF wants low SO2 levels (both free and total), generally ABV < 14%, PH generally more than 3.2. Once MLB has been added to your wine, Potassium Sorbate probably should not be added to your wine. It can interact with the MLB and produce a horrible smell of geraniums.
If you have already added SO2, you might be stuck trying some other tactics may be needed, backsweetening might help, bench trails are in order. You might consider adding vegetable glycerin.
If you have already added SO2, you might be stuck trying some other tactics may be needed, backsweetening might help, bench trails are in order. You might consider adding vegetable glycerin.
I have had some success with MLF and pasteurized juice before. When a couple of carboys didn't seem to go through MLF I turned to this forum. Someone posted the there is no need for MLF in pasteurized juice - maybe they thought it was a kit. I already added SO2. Hopefully the tannin will smooth it a bit.
