Do we believe in sorbate?

[ToulouseLePlot]

Hello,

I'm finishing some of Cellar Rat's Merlot and Garnacha (not blended, still separate, but I will blend as the Garnacha is astringent and 10.5% while the merlot is opulent and 14.5%). I'm reading around whether to put in some potassium sorbate. The summary seems to be this: it's a practice only started in last 50 years; you don't need to do it for dry wines, particularly reds; it can leave a taste; taste gets stronger with ageing. Now all the Selection kits use it - but I'm cheesed off with kit reds, so that's no golden rule.

What do you folks do? I'm expecting to keep these reds three years or so. I've not tested for residual sugars and yes, the bubbler was bubbling in a desultory way but it's 4 weeks since the fermentation started and at .992 (merlot) and .996 (garnacha) I think the game is up. I have put 1 crushed campden tablet per 5L and degassed. I shall think about finings in a couple of weeks and rack once more at least.

[lockwood1956]

I only use it if sweetening the wine, there is no need (or value) if wine is remaining dry

regards
bob

[robwrx]

I don't use Sorbate anymore except for the same reason as Bob.

The Sorbate in kit wines is added for several reasons. Apparently it will make the wine more microbial stable and reduce the chance of any residual sugar fermenting in the bottle.

Back in November I fermented two drums of Brians frozen Grenache. The initial SG was quite low at 1.074 so I bumped up the sugar to SG1.085. TA was 7.4g/l which although a little on the high side, I decided not to try adjusting as the Ph3.54 was good.

I've never bothered to add any finings to fresh or frozen grape wines and just let nature do its thing. If you have the ability to bulk age in a carboy the sediment will drop out over time. I racked my Grenache when it had finished fermenting and then again at 6 months and it is pretty clear now.

Bob once told me that fresh grape wine should be given at least 18 months to age. Don't believe everything that Brian says about early drinking wine . I have a Sangiovese that was very astringent and disappointing for ages that is now very nearly 2 years old and has turned the corner and developed into a rather nice wine. You can't rush good wine.

Rob

[ToulouseLePlot]

Thanks for those replies. I'll leave out the sorbate and I'm happy to age the wine - though that will be in 1 gallon demijohns. I thought about bumping up the sugar on the Garnacha but thought I'd see how the first batch went all by itself. Hoping to do a Sangiovese this year before the Montepulciano arrives, we shall see.

[Cellar_Rat]

In short. No & No.

( sorbate & back sweetening )

[Gaztops]

I used potassium sorbate to back sweeten Wine No2......as per recipe.

But there again, i probably wouldn't notice the taste difference with or without

Gary