"Galileo" > wrote in message
om...
> Hello All,
>
> I just defrosted a pail of Gewurz juice from Columbia Gorge, WA and
> here are the numbers
>
> Brix, 22.8
> TA, 5.2 g/l
> pH 3.37
>
> Unfortunately due to my poor planning I could not get Cote De Blanc
> for this and I am using Lavlin 1116 instead.
>
> Assuming this ferments to 0.990, this is a PA of something like 13.5%
>
> I would like to make about half dry and half off-dry and I am a little
> concerned about the alcohol level. Any suggestions on how to proceed?
>
> Also, from my fruit wine making experience I always sulfite when
> making the starter and pitch 12-24 hours later.

Reasonable amounts of sulfur dioxide will not kill native yeast. It only
curtails yeast activity for a few hours. On the other hand, commercial wine
yeast are practically unaffected by reasonable amounts of sulfur dioxide.
So, contrary to much home winemaking literature, commercial wine yeast
should be added immediately following the sulfur dioxide addition. The
inoculated yeast cells can then multiply quickly while the native yeast is
stunned, and the inoculated yeast will dominate the native yeast throughout
the fermentation period.

> Is this initial dose
> of sulfite really necessary for healthy fruit? Is there anything
> wrong with waiting to add it until after alcoholic fermentation? I
> recall reading that sulfites prevent the yeast from metabolizing
> acetaldehyde to alcohol. Since acetaldehyde is a fault would it not
> be better to add the sulfites once the fermentation is complete?

Sulfur dioxide is often not necessary for healthy fruit. But, by the time
wine is bottled, considerable oxidation has taken place and a significant
amount of acetaldehyde has accumulated. So, the additional amount of
acetaldehyde produced by normal amounts of sulfur dioxide added prior to
fermentation would be negligible.

Regards,
lum