I want to make a Muscat Desert Wine using Alexander's Sun Country
Muscat Grape Juice Concentrate. I intend to use the method outlined in
the FAQ for rec.crafts.winemaking.

"To use the non-traditional method, adjust the sg by adding honey and
concentrate (usually 3 parts concentrate to 1 part honey) to the
desired alcohol yield. Ferment until dry. Stabilize the wine and
filter. After stabilization, add concentrate & honey to raise the sg
to about 1.050 (THIS IS NOT A TYPO). At this point proceed with normal
winemaking techniques (fining, cold conditioning, and it MUST be
filtered).

It is important to control the acid levels, especially when using the
concentrate feeding method, as concentrates are already acid balanced
for 23 litres."

I do not know what level of acidity I should shoot for when making
this type of wine. I don't know where to find this info either. I
need suggestions please.


Thanks,
A.J. Rawls
Anchorage, Alaska, USA

A.J.,
I would agree with Droopy; I make a lot of northern hybrids and shoot
for acid in the 7 to 9 g/l range when I make them sweet.

That is a whole lot of sweetening, it sound like close to 10% RS. I
might do that in stages, it seems excessive. 3% is pretty sweet. I
might use honey for sweetening since our honey is really nutrient poor,
it loves to stick so seems appropriate for sweetening.

Alexanders is not something I have a lot of experience with in
concentrate but I did try some Chenin Blanc in a can a few years back
and it tasted 'cooked' to me; it's been mellowing into a sherry for the
last few years. I rarely give up on a wine. If it wants to be
something other than what I intended who am I to interfere?

Joe

Thanks Droopy.. I'll use acid blend and shoot for 0.9... I'll try to
make this adjustment before adding any honey.


On 12 May 2006 17:05:27 -0700, "Droopy" > wrote:

>Sweet dessert wine should generally have a TA in the 0.7-1.0 range
>A. J. Rawls wrote:
>> I want to make a Muscat Desert Wine using Alexander's Sun Country
>> Muscat Grape Juice Concentrate. I intend to use the method outlined in
>> the FAQ for rec.crafts.winemaking.
>>
>> "To use the non-traditional method, adjust the sg by adding honey and
>> concentrate (usually 3 parts concentrate to 1 part honey) to the
>> desired alcohol yield. Ferment until dry. Stabilize the wine and
>> filter. After stabilization, add concentrate & honey to raise the sg
>> to about 1.050 (THIS IS NOT A TYPO). At this point proceed with normal
>> winemaking techniques (fining, cold conditioning, and it MUST be
>> filtered).
>>
>> It is important to control the acid levels, especially when using the
>> concentrate feeding method, as concentrates are already acid balanced
>> for 23 litres."
>>
>> I do not know what level of acidity I should shoot for when making
>> this type of wine. I don't know where to find this info either. I
>> need suggestions please.
>>
>>
>> Thanks,
>> A.J. Rawls
>> Anchorage, Alaska, USA

Thanks Joe.
I went back and read the FAQ again.. The level of sweetness in it is
for Ice Wine. I will heed your advice and sweeten it to my Child
Bride's taste. She tried a Sweet Muscat in California and really
enjoyed it.

I rarely make grape wines as they are not readily available here in
Alaska.. I usually use what grows here for wines. We have an
abundance of berrys, dandelions, fireweed and crabapples.

Later,
A. J.
On 12 May 2006 18:05:21 -0700, "Joe Sallustio" >
wrote:

>A.J.,
>I would agree with Droopy; I make a lot of northern hybrids and shoot
>for acid in the 7 to 9 g/l range when I make them sweet.
>
>That is a whole lot of sweetening, it sound like close to 10% RS. I
>might do that in stages, it seems excessive. 3% is pretty sweet. I
>might use honey for sweetening since our honey is really nutrient poor,
>it loves to stick so seems appropriate for sweetening.
>
>Alexanders is not something I have a lot of experience with in
>concentrate but I did try some Chenin Blanc in a can a few years back
>and it tasted 'cooked' to me; it's been mellowing into a sherry for the
>last few years. I rarely give up on a wine. If it wants to be
>something other than what I intended who am I to interfere?
>
>Joe

Joe Sallustio wrote:
> A.J.,
> I would agree with Droopy; I make a lot of northern hybrids and shoot
> for acid in the 7 to 9 g/l range when I make them sweet.
>
> That is a whole lot of sweetening, it sound like close to 10% RS. I
> might do that in stages, it seems excessive. 3% is pretty sweet. I
> might use honey for sweetening since our honey is really nutrient poor,
> it loves to stick so seems appropriate for sweetening.
>
> Alexanders is not something I have a lot of experience with in
> concentrate but I did try some Chenin Blanc in a can a few years back
> and it tasted 'cooked' to me; it's been mellowing into a sherry for the
> last few years. I rarely give up on a wine. If it wants to be
> something other than what I intended who am I to interfere?
>
> Joe

Dessert wines like ice wine or sauternes are high in both acid and
sugar, some Riesling ice wines I've seen were around 14 g/L TA. Sugar
is typically at least 7%, often higher.

The levels of 7-10g/L TA and 3-4% sugar would apply more to late
harvest style wines, e.g., Spatlese Rieslings.

You could make both styles from a concentrate, just by changing the
dilution factor. The one thing you won't get is a botrytis taste.

Pp

Dandelion wine is incredible...

Joe