Topic: Acid
Testing options for pH and TA
MEMBERS ONLYI’m not a fan of the pH and TA kits available out there either. pH test strips are pointless as they don’t spit out an actual number and the TA test kits don’t work well for red wine because you can’t see the color endpoint. I’m also not a fan of spending hundreds of dollars
How can I fix a wine with high pH and low TA?
MEMBERS ONLYBravo for you for doing bench trials! If you’ve read my columns over the years you know that doing bench trials, that is, testing a wine treatment on a small scale (“on the lab bench”) before performing it on your entire lot, is one of my most oft-repeated mantras. You also followed another of my
High pH, low TA, bottles: Wine Wizard
MEMBERS ONLYHigh pH and Low TA in a Chardonnay I have a batch of 2006 Chardonnay that has completed primary and secondary fermentation. It tasted flabby so I had it tested for pH and TA. The TA was low at 0.444 g/100mL and the pH was high at 3.66. I bench tested two 100 mL samples.
Harvest Planning
MEMBERS ONLYFor winemakers, grape harvest is a period of intense activity. Important decisions and preparations need to happen well in advance of crush day in order for things to go smoothly. These decisions include ordering or picking the grapes, obtaining a crusher, selecting the right yeast, etc. Beyond these decisions, your crush area, winery and equipment
Why are my TA readings off?
MEMBERS ONLYI have to hand it to you for doing such complete analysis on your must. If every winemaker were as conscientious as you are, we’d have fewer stuck fermentations, sluggish malolactic fermentation bugs and unhappy yeast beasties. I think you made the right choice to not add any acid to this batch. As you mention,
What could cause the acid levels in my wine to rise as it ages?
FREEFirst, let’s look at your question about the pH of water. We all learned in high school chemistry that water has a pH of 7.0, which is totally neutral, neither acidic nor
Can I add grape juice in place of acid blend to my country fruit wine?
MEMBERS ONLYWine Wizard replies: If you’re looking for a way to boost acid without adding extra sugar, stick to acid blend. Using grape-juice concentrate as an additional fermenting agent in fruit wines, on the other hand, is a good way to add extra acid, sugar, flavor and yeast nutrients. Acid blends are often comprised of citric,
Can I have some advice on malo-lactic fermentation and its impact on acidity?
MEMBERS ONLYDear Wine Wizard, I raised the TA of the must from 0.5 to 0.6 at the beginning of fermentation for my red wine. Should I still add malolatic bacteria to start MLF knowing that it will reduce the TA? Tony Querio Troy, Michigan Wine Wizard replies: For most homemade red wines, actively encouraging the malo-lactic
My wine tastes tart and I think there is too much acid. Any suggestions to correct this problem?
FREEYou all seem to have the same problem, so I thought I’d answer you all together. Acid adjustment, or better, achieving the right acid balance, is one of the arts of winemaking.
Your Home Wine Lab
MEMBERS ONLYSooner or later, most serious winemakers conclude that it isn’t good enough to simply follow a recipe blindly. That’s a bit too much like painting-by-numbers. The expression of one’s own skill and artistry makes the difference between an ordinary wine and something uniquely personal. But to do that, it’s necessary to understand a bit about
Taking the Fear Out of Must Analysis
MEMBERS ONLYI have something to confess. The most perfect, most exquisite wine passed through my racking cane this fall. I’m not bragging or anything; that’s just the way it is. Now, I should be able to chalk up my success to payback from well-spent tuition and to the glory of science. But I confess that I