Excess acid in fruit wine

Yes it is degassed but my problem is not bubbles it is acid.

Previously when I made rhubarb wine I added precipitated chalk (calcium carbonate) which is available at winemaking stores. I have heard that in its absence people use potassium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate or even sodium bicarbonate (though I can't vouch for them).

I am in a similar position in that I have made several large batches of elderberry / blackberry wines -aiming for the higher end of the acid range for a country red and without taking the acidity of the blackberries into account. The result is that I have tens of gallons of slightly sour wine. If someone can validate my suggestion and add good working acidities for plum and elderberry wines, it would be very useful.

I am guessing I am going to have to try to balance a gallon by tasting and apply the amount of calcium carbonate I used in ratio to the whole batch. I am not sure h ow long to wait after adding and mixing though to ensure that the chalk has done its job in neutralising an amount of the acid.

Good luck with your plum wine. Jim Mine was rather nice by the time I reached my last bottle - 3 years in.

Jim

If you powder the calcium carbonate (any carbonate actually) the reaction should be almost immediate (4[R-COOH] + 2[CaCO3] ->

From what I have read, you should not use sodium bicarbonate as it will make the wine salty through the addition of sodium - stick to calcium carbonate.

The end of the following article offers some solutions. I can't vouch for it's accuracy, as most of it went over my pointy head: