Paddy-O wrote:

>
> Hi Ray...
>
> I agree... I don't like blending good wine with bad wine. It just makes
> for a lot of 'tolerable' wine.

Red wine vinegar might be an option. Just get some mother culture at your
favorite supplier. It might make for nice gifts for those who don't drink
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!)
>>>
>>
>>
>>