High ph

[cmason1957]

Not to hijack the thread, but would anyone drop the pH a little so less SO2 would be required?

I would not the ph doesn't seem to have much to do with the flavor for me. The TA has more to do with the sharpness or flabbiness for me.

 

[TurkeyHollow]

I would not the ph doesn't seem to have much to do with the flavor for me. The TA has more to do with the sharpness or flabbiness for me.

True - but if you drop the pH a little, it will affect the TA (that was why @winemaker81 wouldn't adjust) even if not proportionately.

 

[winemaker81]

Maybe bench test to try a smaller quantity acid addition... may be a win-win... more stable wine and better tasting. Naturally, if the flavor goes on the wrong side of where you want to be, I wouldn't make the adjustment on the whole batch. I, personally (and I know this wine isn't meant for me) prefer a pH of 3.65 max. Without trying some things, you'll never know what you're missing.

When I'm making final adjustments on a wine, I do not bother with pH or TA checks, as neither matters. The only criteria is taste.

Every wine is unique. Wines can be made side-by-side from the same batch of grapes, and turn out totally different. Buy 8 lugs, crush 4 into one fermenter, 4 into another. The SG, pH, and TA can be different between the two. Why? Because each grape is a unique entity, and a collection of grapes is equally unique.

However, you are correct -- without trying things, I'll never know what I'm missing. But I'm ok with that that. Through hard experience I've learned that the best way to screw up a batch of wine is to improve it. When I'm satisfied with a wine, I bottle it. If I could make it better, or not? It's no longer a question and I don't look back.

 

[Raptor99]

When I'm making final adjustments on a wine, I do not bother with pH or TA checks, as neither matters. The only criteria is taste.

I agree. When you are starting your wine, it is important to adjust the pH to provide a healthy environment for the yeast. But for final adjustments it is all about taste, which requires balancing acidity, tannins, and sweetness. The only exception I can think of is that if the pH is too high you will need a lot more SO2, and your wine might not keep as well. Because of that, I would not want a final pH higher than 3.6.

 

[Hazelemere]

I have a Syrah that I racked out at 3 months and dosed with kmeta. The ph was 3.78. If I add LD Carlson’s Acid Blend (citric, tartaric and malic) will that bring the ph down? If so what dose would be helpful in a six gallon carboy. OR…..should I just leave it alone?

Thanks

taste it 1/4 tsp acid blend at a time stirring it in each time until you like it

 

[winemaker81]

I agree. When you are starting your wine, it is important to adjust the pH to provide a healthy environment for the yeast. But for final adjustments it is all about taste, which requires balancing acidity, tannins, and sweetness. The only exception I can think of is that if the pH is too high you will need a lot more SO2, and your wine might not keep as well. Because of that, I would not want a final pH higher than 3.6.

The type of wine makes a difference. Fruit wines generally benefit from backsweetening, so adding more acid to lower the pH is balanced by adding more sugar. That works.

If making a white, it depends on the white, as wines such as Chardonnay are not typically backsweetened. At the same time, I purchased higher end Vouvray (Sauvignon Blanc) that were backsweetened, which surprised the heck out of me at the time. It had never occurred to me to backsweeten SB.

But if it's a red? For dry red drinkers, sugar is an anathema.

Most of the time, if the pH is high, the wine (regardless of type) is flabby, so it's not a problem as the wine benefits correction. If the wine tasted fine, I'd simply add more K-meta and not worry about it.

 

[Rice_Guy]

ABSOLUTELY

would anyone drop the pH a little so less SO2 would be required?

Total vineyard sulfur / added potassium metabisulphite before the secondary, ,,, is one of the factors which contributes to reductive wine flavors/ skunk flavor.
In a similar line of risk analysis I can see the value in not treating with Kmeta till after racking into the secondary.
The risk will be greater in whites/ country wines which have low antioxidants/ polyphenols.