Have I Over Sulfited My Riesling?

[JordanPond]

In April I picked up a 6 gallon bucket of Chilean Reisling from the LuvaBrella winery. So far so good. In May, when I stabilized I added 3/4 tsp of Kmeta. In October when I racked the wine I added another 3/4 tsp of Kmeta and then realized that I the second application should have been 1/4 tsp.

Tasting tonight it has a medicinal finish. Am I tasting the Kmeta? Or is it simply the young age of the wine? I made the same mistake on a bucket of cabernet and it has some of the same medicinal finish. Kmeta? I did NOT make the same mistake on my bucket of carmenere and it does not have the same after taste and my wife thinks it is going in the right direction.

All three are in still bulk aging. Will time fix the Reisling and Cabernet?

Do I apply the three P's. Patience, Patience, Patience

 

[ibglowin]

Have you added anything else? Anything? Sulfite smells like, well sulfur. Is that what you smell?

 

[LJPelletier]

If you are really getting a bad taste in an oversulfited wine, you may want to try splash racking it... if that doesn't work after a few rackings, you could try blending with an unsulphited wine

 

[JordanPond]

Mike,

I did add 3 tsp of sorbate in October as I had planned on backsweetening. The reisling fermented very dry. The sorbate jar recommended 1/2 tsp per gallon to prevent fermentation. I am not detecting a sulfer smell. This could provide the motication to invest in some SO2 testing equipment.

LJPelletier, I hadn't thought blending. With the sulphite added I probably have time to start a wine to blend with. But then comes the decision of taking a wine that I like and adding to a wine I'm not happy with and ending up with 12 gallons of wine I'm not happy with.

You always pay for an education, one way or another.

 

[Wade E]

That is a lot of sulfite but you can usualy tell when it is sulfite as thats a very distinct smell and flavor. Do yourself a favor and get the vinmetrica S02 or the Morewine AO tester, or the Hanna if you really want to spend some money. I think the Vinmetrica is the easiest. I have the Hanna which is way more expensive. I choose that for 2 reasons. 1 because you can calibrate thus knowing its accurate and 2 (the main reason) was because it was free to me!!!!!!

 

[Julie]

Hi JordonPond,

I am curious as to why you added 3/4 tsp twice. Not sure what kmeta you have but instructions say just 1/4 tsp per 6 gallon.

And, I believe you are probably dealing with a young wine, riesling taste better if it is sweeten, does not need to be a lot but a little seems to bring the flavor better. Anyway it does for me. I would go ahead and backsweeten, taste it then and if you are still getting the medicinal taste leave it sit for 3 months and see if the medicinal taste has lessen at all.

 

[wvbrewer]

I would rack the wine and let it age a couple of more weeks as some tof the sulfites should be released over time. What you don't want to do is bottle to quickly. Take a look at this site for a few ideas. It also has links to Jack Kellers site too,

http://www.grapestompers.com/articles/hydrogen_sulfide.htm

 

[ibglowin]

If the only thing you added was sulfite and sorbate and it doesn't taste or smell of sulfur I am thinking its the sorbate.

Sorbate has a different taste or smell to different people. I think it smells and taste like bubble gum. Some have described it as "candylike" and I believe I have heard others describe it as "medicine" like.

This will fade over time if its sorbate but it could take 6-12 months.

Remember a 6G kit wine will come with a 5gm pack of sulfite. That is a lot but on the first addition you lose 50% of it as it gets immediately tied up (bound). After that you need much smaller amounts to keep it properly protected.

This is where some type of SO2 test equipment becomes a real necessity.

Mike,

I did add 3 tsp of sorbate in October as I had planned on backsweetening. The reisling fermented very dry. The sorbate jar recommended 1/2 tsp per gallon to prevent fermentation. I am not detecting a sulfer smell. This could provide the motication to invest in some SO2 testing equipment.

LJPelletier, I hadn't thought blending. With the sulphite added I probably have time to start a wine to blend with. But then comes the decision of taking a wine that I like and adding to a wine I'm not happy with and ending up with 12 gallons of wine I'm not happy with.

You always pay for an education, one way or another.

 

[JordanPond]

Hi JordonPond,

I am curious as to why you added 3/4 tsp twice. Not sure what kmeta you have but instructions say just 1/4 tsp per 6 gallon.

And, I believe you are probably dealing with a young wine, riesling taste better if it is sweeten, does not need to be a lot but a little seems to bring the flavor better. Anyway it does for me. I would go ahead and backsweeten, taste it then and if you are still getting the medicinal taste leave it sit for 3 months and see if the medicinal taste has lessen at all.

It was a newbie thinking he had everything under control and doing things from memory. A flawed memory. After racking two carboys carboys I had that "Oh $hit" revelation. Doing the buckets was the first time I'd done something without printed directions. The kits do tend to hold your hand thru the process.

I did backsweeten and still get the taste. It's back in the carboy to age some more. Maybe a future candidate for blending with something.

 

[JordanPond]

Thanks for the input. While it is a "small" thing it has turned into a learning opportunity.

 

[robie]

I agree with Julie; you are likely dealing with the taste of a very young wine. There might be other factors involved, but young wine can taste all over the place until it comes together after a little aging.

 

[JordanPond]

I got to play mad scientist today. My PH meter and vinmetrica SC-100 arrived end of the week. The Reisling came in at at PH of 3.1 and free SO2 of 82 PPM. The Cabernet is a PH of 3.6 and free SO2 = 80 PPM. The carmenare has a PH of 3.5 and free SO2 = 52 PPM.

The free SO2 numbers on the Reisling and Cabernet are high but will they come down in time? Maybe some splash racking as previously suggested and patients for the me?

 

[Wade E]

Just goes to show you how without testing equipment we can really start to over sulfite our wine if bulk aging long.Oh, by the way, glad I could be of help with the ordering of a kit!!! Hehehehe

 

[ibglowin]

With the Vinmetrica you probably want to be a little on the high side (~5-10ppm) as it or the chemistry it uses is not 100% perfect. It can react with more than just SO2 in the wine thus giving a higher reading than reality. Not anything to lose sleep about just something to remember. Even the A/O test can do the same thing.