Wondering if I should water down my Vignoles

[Stressbaby]

I neighbor let me pick about 4 buckets of vignoles last year. The winery had already been through, so we were late, and I just got the grapes at the end of the rows which the mechanical picker couldn't shake off. The original characteristics of the must:
OG 1.104
pH 3.04
TA 0.82%

The wine fermented out to ABV 14.2%. I backsweetened with 50g/gal to try to get some balance, and then I bottled part of it. I still have some in a carboy.

We have sampled this wine and it is out of balance. It is very flavorful, but far too sharp, and probably too much alcohol.

Is there potential benefit from just adding water before I bottle the rest?

I realize I can just do bench trials, and I will, but I'm wondering if there is a better solution. I'm also wondering if I should think about a target pH if I try this.

Thanks.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Optimal thing to do is to blend with enough big moles that is lower in alcohol but you will have to wait till next year. I don't mean pick early to get that, just a lower brix. Being late to pick they really shot up there.

In future if a grapes brix is high pick after a rain. The rain will naturally lower the brix.

You could blend with another wine of lower alcohol or make a water wine. Ferment sugar water to a lower gravity them blend. The flavor will change a bit.

Use the Pearson Square to determine how much you need of each wine.

 

[salcoco]

adding additional sugar syrup will put in balance without adding sweetness. bench trial are required. adding water will just water down the taste and flavor.

 

[Stressbaby]

Thanks for the replies.
We had friends over last night and did some blind bench trials. Interesting results.

Round 1:
1) sugar, 50g/gal (as it is now)
2) 75g/gal
3) 100g/gal
4) 125g/gal

Clear preference was for #2.

Round 2:
1) winner of round 1
2) winner of round 1 + water at ratio of 1:15
3) winner of round 1 + water at ratio of 1:7.5
4) winner of round 1 + water at ratio of 1:5

Not even close. #4 was clear winner. Diluted the rest of the bottle and samples and finished it off on the back porch.