Stephen,

You state that you start fermentation at 1070 to 1075.
Is there any chance that you add sugar during the process ???

It could be that your alcohol is higher due to adding sugar later.

The vinometer is not an accurate measuring device.
It actually does not work in sweet wines. It only works in dry wines
and even then it is doubtfull.

Better is to work with the hydrometer and take measurements
during the process.
Note how the SG drops, add sugar, measure, then wait until the SG drops
again and then take measurements again. The total figures give you
the alcohol.

Even better is the method the wine-weigher uses.
Wait until the wine is finished.
Take an SG reading.
Boil the wine until alcohol has evaporated, fill up to the original
amount and measure the SG again.
Then compare the difference to a table which will give you the accurate
alcohol percentage.

There was a discussion on this over here a few months ago
in which I published the table. If there is demand for it I will
publish it again.

Luc
http://www.wijnmaker.blogspot.com/


stephen sauchinitz wrote:

> I've been backing down on the sugar trying to get a alcohol around 10-11%.
> I make mostly fruit wines and generaly start the crushed berries and sugar
> juiced around 1.070-1.075SG. I don't like the finished wine real sugar
> sweet, usually around 1.025- 1.030 which is sweet to some but I don't like
> the alcohol after taste.. Most my wines finish around 11-12% Vino after
> initial ferment. But Potential Alcohol with the hydrometer says it should
> be around 10 %. Example: I started Strawberry at 1.070SG with Hydrometer
> and ended up with 12% Vino. It's got a good strawberry taste , but I got
> the alcohol aftertaste in the end which i'm trying to get away from. I
> always get a alcohol aftertaste from the Peach and Strawberry wines, Why??

--
://www.wijnmaker.blogspot.com/