"fryder estates" > wrote in message
...
> Hi
> Got a BIG red wine (Shiraz) about 17+% alc.
> Still has more than 20 grams ltre residual sugar.
> Tried to restart the ferment on numerous occasions with no luck.
> Was going to throw the wine away when a group of friends tasted it and
> raved
> about it.
> Now want to bottle it for them and guess what?? Bubbles slowly coming
> through the fermentation lock.
> Used EC1118 yeast on original fermentation so would now probably slowly
> ferment dry.
> Can't wait for this to happen need the barrel for my new fermentation just
> under way.
> Want to stop this fermentation from happening.
> Wine will be to hot and fiery if it ferments to dryness.
> To turbid to sterile filter it.
> Wine has gone through Malo.
> Anyone got a sure fire way of stopping this fermentation without killing
> the
> taste of the wine???

Am I reading this post correctly? Your wine is at 17+% alcohol already, has
20 g/l residual sugar and it's still fermenting?

If it were mine, I think I'd just let the fermentation run its course,
clarify it well after bulk aging and add back sugar to taste if necessary.
This could all be done in kegs if you need that barrel. You needn't worry
about the fermentation re-starting with a sugar addition after the wine is
clarified. I'm surprised that it's still going now.

Whatever you do, don't ruin it with sorbate. That stuff does have a flavor
and that's not a good thing. Besides, as has been pointed out already,
sorbate won't stop an active fermentation. Only deep chilling, running out
of fermentable sugar or an alcohol level higher than the yeast can tolerate
will do that.

Tom S
www.chateauburbank.com