Aging question

[Sage]

Has anyone taken a wine, let's say something like Syrah, split the batch and back sweetened one half slightly??

My real question is how will the back sweetening affect the aging process?? I'm considering doing it on a small batch (splitting into two parts and slightly back sweetening one) but I'm wondering what will it be in 5 years? Any noticable change between the two other than sweetness vs dryness??

Sage

(I did try a search but either got aging or back sweetening and but the two together)

 

[FTC Wines]

Sage, I have split a batch & back sweetened a part. Sometimes to 3 different levels of sweetness. Especially with my Apple & Peach. Had a friend that liked their wine very sweet. Some of my bigger reds I back sweeten a few bottles to SG 1.000, from .992 ish. Not sure how it affects aging. I don't see a difference between years 1-3, only that it gets better! Roy

 

[olusteebus]

I dan't know for sure and maybe someone will correct me, but I don't think a kit wine will age that long.

 

[tonyt]

I dan't know for sure and maybe someone will correct me, but I don't think a kit wine will age that long.

I just opened one of my first bottles, a WE Petit Verdot. Pitched in 2009, bottled in 2010 and opened last weekend. It was Incredible! With that said I have opened some at three years that were passing prime. My hope has always been to be drinking my kit wines between bottle year 2 and 3.

 

[olusteebus]

Is it that red kit wines can age longer or does that matter?

 

[FTC Wines]

Buster, I have aged red kit wines to 4.5 yrs, Amorone, it was awesome, only one bottle left. Oldest white kit is 1.5 yrs, I don't drink whites, except for Apple & Peach from fruit. Have some 5+ yrs old & still good. Roy

 

[Sage]

Not a kit wine. From my vineyard and I have Syrah and Cab that I was considering playing with. Just wondered if anyone had ran a long term test on anything like this.

 

[stickman]

Sage, I've back sweetened a few wines in the past and have not noticed any aging issues, but I've always filtered to prevent re-fermentation. I currently have a 2010 Cab in the cellar that is doing well. I too was just experimenting to see what the effect would be as I know many commercial wineries leave some residual sweetness even in reds. Ultimately, for my tastes, I prefer unsweetened, wine is a delicate balance that can be thrown off easily. Most high end wines would not be back sweetened.

 

[bkisel]

Oh, that kind of aging question. Thought I might have had some sage comments to make.

 

[vernsgal]

I've found with my kit wines , reds, seem to peak in taste at about the 3 year mark.

 

[Sage]

I don't do kit wines but from the comments, I'm curious as to why kit wines don't age well??

What's in or not in a kit wine as opposed to fresh grapes??

 

[Deezil]

In many cases, sweetening a wine will make it more approachable, a little sooner. Not always a good thing though, as it can effect the balance of the wine later in its life.

Wine kits lack the Total Dissolved Solids that working with real grapes bring to the table, which can effect the wine in a few different ways, depending on the wine in question. Reds generally come up a little short on body, color and/or tannins. Both reds and whites can lack in aroma or flavor compared to the original grapes. All the processing and balancing they do to produce kits, in order to make kits of the same line all turn out the same, strip out some of the finer details that separate an 'everyday wine' from the finer examples held in high regard.