anyone had a TA this high?

[kazmerzakr]

My recently picked Frontenac had a respectable Brix of 20. The ph was 3.00 and the TA was a tooth rattling 1.5% Have you had anything this high? I stirred in some calcium carbonate, but there is a limit to how much of that stuff you can use. I'll plan on a cold stabilization, but what do you think are my chances for a decent wine? I don't want to make a port.

 

[TonyR]

I had Frontenac and my best year (beautiful summer, hot and dry) the Ta was 1.2 I pulled the vines out the following spring and planted Petite Pearl. I haven't looked back. Yes cold storage will help some along with molatic fermentation but it still come down to bad wine, unless you like it sweet. Good luck

 

[user 36973]

Yes, that is typical for Frontenac. Potassium bicarbonate is a good de-acidifier you can use to drop it 2-3g/L without making it begin to taste "salty". Calcium carbonate won't give it the "salty" taste but risks calcium tartrate precipitation over the next year. You've already mixed it in, so that is something you will need to watch for. Of course, cold stabilization will help drop the potassium bitartrate crystals and lower the acid some as well.

You'll want to consider making it a somewhat sweet wine to balance the acid. It is going to be difficult to drop the acid below 1.0% without changing the character too much or raising the pH too high, but that would make a good and well-balanced semisweet wine.

I made a frontenac semi-sweet rose last year. About the only thing I would change about it is my choice of GRE yeast. Too mouthy for the style.

 

[GreginND]

Ditto - I would use potassium carbonate or potassium bicarbonate. The calcium precipitates out much much slower. I routinely deal with higher acids than this. They need to be made into an off dry or sweeter wine to balance it.

Last year I received Frontenac that was 17 brix and pH 2.8. Needless to say, I didn't even measure the TA because with these numbers, it was irrelevant. I'm sure it was well over 2 g/L. I added potassium carbonate to bring the pH above 3.0. I used 71b yeast to eat some of the malic. I did not do MLF as I was going for a sweeter red wine. Cold stabilization dropped lots of tartrates.

This wine ended up sweetened to about 5% sugar and was delicious, fruity and full of cherry flavors. It would have been our best seller this year if it weren't for the fact I forgot to add sorbate and had to uncork 800 bottles. It's still settling down in the tank and tastes good for the experience. We use it to make the best damn sangria in town.

 

[user 36973]

... had to uncork 800 bottles. ...

Been there, done that too! Can't think of anything more I hate to do than uncork and dump back to bulk!