"Lum" > wrote in message
...
>
> > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>> As I wrestle with my '04 cabernet sauvignon to bring primary
>> fermentation to completion, I thought I'd ask the group for opinions on
>> Clinitest results in dry red wines. In particular, I'm curious if
>> there's a practical threshold you look for to feel reasonably
>> comfortable that a dry wine will not be at risk for microbial spoilage
>> due to RS? Secondly, does anthocyanin concentration affect the assay?
>>
>>
>> My current cab hasn't tested below 0.5% RS but has no perceptable RS
>> (at least not to me). It does happen to be very deeply pigmented.
>> Perhaps Pasteur Red is a poor closer? Opinions on other appropriate
>> yeasts for this type of wine is appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks
>> RD
>
> RD,
> Dry, red fermentations often contain from 0.1 to 0.2 percent of
> unfermentable sugar. So, many winemakers assume that red wines showing
> 0.2%
> or less sugar are dry and reasonably stable.
> Anthocyanin pigments do not affect the assay significantly, but Clinitest
> results tend to be too high (true values are less than the measured
> values).
> I have never found Pasteur Red to be a poor closer, but I prefer EC-1118
> yeast for most red wines.
> Lum
> Del Mar, California, USA
>
>
>
Lum is right about the definition of a dry red being less than or equal to
0.2%. But I would not call a 0.5% red a semi sweet either. If it tastes
like you want it, great! But do not worry about microbial infection. No
pathogens live in wine. There is a slight chance that it may start
fermenting again if you do not stabilize it but I doubt that 0.5% would
cause a danger of burst bottles. If you are worried about infection, then
use a standard dose of Sulfite. But you should be using sulfite to prevent
oxidation anyway and that would be enough. If you are worried about
refermentation, give it a dose of Sorbase as well. If you let it bulk age
for at least a year and it is perfectly clear, I would not worry about
refementation.

Ray