Adjust or don’t adjust?

[porkchopmessiah]

On a scale of 1-10 my taste buds are probably a 3 or 4 so I can't confirm. I was told a blah wine sometimes a lacks a mid palate sensation and without a mid palate the end suffers. Tannin Estate is supposed to enhance the mid palate sensation. I've been experimenting with it but have only used about 1/4 the recommended maximum amount and that was only 4 weeks ago. It does seem to help though.

I too am cursed by the poor taste buds....I did half the max dose of tannin comple in all 4 carboys from juice pails in the fall...I did save about 1.5 l from each that's got no tannin supplement...side by side comparison will be the only way I'll be able to compare...
Though it does make me feel slightly better I'm not the only one with sensory issues...which I'll blame on too concussions or something

 

[Cellar Vader]

You had me at 4 diff 20 gallon batches...then I blacked out

 

[Cellar Vader]

LOL!

 

[mainshipfred]

With regrards to the high-pH wine, I would leave it be since you like it. The potential in post-fermentation to negatively affect the wine is not worth the risk. I have done tartaric adjustments during pre-fermentation, when it's safe, but after ferm is just too risky for me. I find that many times with post-fermentation tartaric additions, the acidity doesn't integrate - it's like I can taste the acid separate from the wine itself. Hard to describe.

Just curious how much you lowered the ph with what you were referring to. I've done acid adjustments in the past to better the wine but I don't think I ever dropped more than .2 or 3.

 

[Ajmassa]

With regrards to the high-pH wine, I would leave it be since you like it. The potential in post-fermentation to negatively affect the wine is not worth the risk. I have done tartaric adjustments during pre-fermentation, when it's safe, but after ferm is just too risky for me. I find that many times with post-fermentation tartaric additions, the acidity doesn't integrate - it's like I can taste the acid separate from the wine itself. Hard to describe.

With the "boring" wine. Don't try using up your great-tasting wine. I think you'll be ultimately disappointed. Just bottle it and put it away for a couple more years. My 2 cents.

Yea man. My entire life I’ve always had to learn the hard way lol. It’s one thing to read advice— but it never truly is committed to memory until 1st hand experience.

The “boring wine” is boring for a reason. Heavy hand with tartaric post AF adjustment. Recently removed acid and after CS for a month just took it a touch too far to now feel flat. (Still a large improvement then before acid removal). So you could understand my hesitance to keep messing with it

 

[Ajmassa]

Has it spent any time in the barrel?

Nope. Another lesson learned. Was all lined to order a new French 55L for this wine. A couple months after fermentation I wasn’t happy with color extraction and the acid and just the wine overall. It didnt seem to be the “big” cab I was hoping for. So I nixed the purchase. Wanted something more deserving for that barrel.
Now 6 months later I regret it- who knew that the wine woulda improved with some age?! Doh!
Actually tho timing may work well. If I jump on that now by the time the Paso Cab is ready to come out the new wine from the fall would be ready to go in.
I only have the one barrel I bought from Fred. On its 2nd run now filled w/ 8gal of my “family red” almost 4 months now.

 

[Ajmassa]

Just like @4score said, I don’t think the tartaric integrated on that Tuscan. You could taste it just the way he described. Adjusted from 3.8 to 3.6 in 3 additions over 2 wks. Was my first big batch from grapes. First post AF acid adjustment. Lotsa “firsts” on this wine.
I didn’t tweak the must b/c I had recently read some stupid ass article saying how adjustments to must is a bad idea. Live and learn.
Last fall i had planned to adjust the cab must to 3.6 w/ no regard for TA. Come game time I bitched out. Only added a touch so TA didn’t shoot too high. Ph didn’t move much. Now at 3.98. Letting it ride likely.