FG reached, but merlot still sweet

[phermenter]

I'm little concerned that I've reached final gravity of somewhere under 1.000 and the merlot I've made from a William's Brewing kit is still sweet. "Jammy" I think some call it. It's been in primary/secondary for a total of almost five weeks, so I thought we'd be down to just aging and such. Is there any chance it'll still dry out after it's seeming done fermenting? Thank you, one and all.

 

[Wine Maker]

I haven't made kit wines but at 1.000 SG it should be pretty dry. At 1.000 SG all of the sugar has been converted to alcohol. The SG can still decrease a few more degrees to something like 0.996 which would be bone dry. Are you sure you are tasting sweetness? Sweet is a taste sensation, where on the tongue are you picking up sweetness?

 

[cpfan]

Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with Williams Brewing kits, so don't know if it will drop below 1.000. Most kits that I have done reach .995 or lower. But RJS Cellar Classic Winery Series seem to finish around 1.000. Five weeks at a reasonable temp should mean that fermentation is complete.

Have you checked with your supplier about finishing sg?

Steve

 

[phermenter]

OK, sorry it's taken me a few days to answer your questions. I've been a busy boy and also wanted to give it a little time before checking it again. The gravity is already below 1.000, I just didn't get all fine as to whether it was 0.096 or 0.997 or whatever.

The taste, now that I sample it again, maybe isn't so much sweet as simple, and I think I sense the CO2 that hasn't dissipated yet. Possibly I was expecting too much after reading the promotional materials about how great it was going to be. It's not bad, and it was only a $60 kit (for 5 gallons) so maybe that's all it was ever going to be. On the other hand, they tell you to leave it in secondary for 12 weeks. It's probably better if I don't judge it after three weeks in secondary.

 

[Wine Maker]

From what I have read, most kits get better with age. They don't taste so great early on but after 9 months or so the flavor really developes. Give it some time.