Actually I serve a lot of my mediocre wine to friends and the rave about it
and ask for more. I am afraid if I served my good wine to them they would
educate their palate and I would have no outlet for my mediocre wine. Then
there are the friends who know the difference.

I don't serve bad wine to anyone. I am not being mean, just practical.

Ray

"Paddy-O" > wrote in message
news:Vk_ac.6286$oR5.591@pd7tw3no...
>
> Hi Ray...
>
> I agree... I don't like blending good wine with bad wine. It just makes
> for a lot of 'tolerable' wine. My preference would be to add a little
> concentrate and put it more SO2 (2-3 Campden tablets per 23L Carboy ) to
> prevent further fermentation. I fully realize that regardless of how
> much 'doctoring', this Cab is never going to be something I will serve
> to my friends. I have 8 other carboys of very good wine (2 are
> exceptional) that is bulk aging as well.
>
> Thanks for your thoughts.
>
> Pat (Paddy-O)
>
>
> Ray wrote:
> > If you add concentrate without restarting fermentation you are going to
end
> > up with a low alcohol sweet wine. If this is what you want, fine. If
you
> > try to restart fermentation you are going back to time zero as far as
bulk
> > aging and with low SO2 this may not be good as it will be a long time
before
> > it is aged again.
> >
> > You could make another wine and blend it but again it would be a long
time
> > before it is ready and if you make a good wine, it is never a good idea
to
> > blend a good wine with a bad. You just end up with more bad.
> >
> > If it is not too bad you might blend it with some fruit juice and make
> > something of the fruit cooler type like the Island Mist wines. If you
do
> > this and bottle it you are going to have trouble with protecting against
> > restarting fermentation without SO2. You could just do it at the time
you
> > drink it.
> >
> > I do not filter my wines but if you are no using SO2 you may want to get
a
> > good filter that will remove all the yeast and then adjust what I have
said
> > above accordingly.
> >
> > Ray
> >
> > "Paddy-O" > wrote in message
> > news:wDXac.5871$Pk3.1360@pd7tw1no...
> >
> >>Hi... I just subscribed to this newsgroup today. Many posts are very
> >>interesting.
> >>
> >>QUICK BACKGROUND
> >>I have about 50 gallons of Red Cabernet wine that is bulk aging.
> >>Several of the grapes that this wine was made from were not fully
> >>rippened. It fact, several were downright 'green' At the time of the
> >>crushing/destemming, my winegroup buddies and I were not versed in how
> >>you can extract more color, tanning, et al, during primary fermentation.
> >> As a result, the extraction colour was very poor. In fact, the cab
> >>has the color, consistency and flavour of a very pale blush. My wife
> >>makes stronger fruit juice for our kids from frozen concentrate than
> >>this years batch of Cab.
> >>
> >>In addition to this, I tend to keep my SO2 levels, in all of my wines.
> >>I do this because my wife is quite allergic to any sulfa medications.
> >>Yes... I KNOW the consequences of not using sufficient Campden tablets!
> >>
> >>Question:
> >>
> >>Another winemaking buddy suggested that I purchase some grape
> >>concentrate in a commercial wine kit and add it to my pathetically weak
> >>Cab. In theory this sounds fine but my Cab has already been oaked for
> >>several months, undergone Melolactic fermentation, finned, and cold
> >>stabilized. It is now just bulk aging. By adding this new concentrate
> >>into my Cab, am I not risking that fermentation will once again occur?
> >>While I have not tested my SO2 levels, I know that they would be low.
> >>
> >>Can anyone tell me what the possible benefits as well as risks are?
> >>Remember, I tend to underuse sulfite because of my wife's allergies, but
> >>I am extremely conscious about equipment sterilization/contaminants.
> >>
> >>If I do introduce the concentrate, what would be the recommended
amounts?
> >>
> >>All thoughts are welcome.
> >>
> >>Paddy-O
> >>(great newsgroup!)
> >>
> >
> >
> >
>