next batch ... next problem.
We are just racking another batch of fruit wine (frozen apricots, strawberries and peaches) and it has a sulfur smell. How do we get rid of that? And more important, how can we prevent that the next time? Is adding Campden Tablets ok? And is that caused by leaving to much head space?
Thanks for replies
Werner
The most common source of sulfur smell (hydrogen sulfide = H2S) in aging wine is a byproduct of unhappy yeast. Best way that I know to get rid of it is to stir the wine 'vigorously' to aerate it and drive off the sulfur smell. Also, judicious addition of copper sulfate stirred into the wine will remove the smell. Please search the wine FAQ and Lum Eisman's and Jack Keller's and Ben Rotter's excellent sites 'wine defects' areas for instruction on how much coppper sulfate to use. You want to use the miminum effective amount (absolute maximum about 250ppm, typically 50-100ppm).
You haven't mentioned how many times you've racked your wine off the sediment. The more yeast remaining in the wine, the more the potential for hydrogen sulfide generation. I, for one, do sur lie (on the lees) aging of many of my wines, and I have to stir the lees gently about every two weeks to prevent 'unhappy yeast' hydrogen sulfide generation. Please note that maintaining proper free sulfite (SO2) concentration is needed to protect the wine from oxidation, not hydrogen sulfide. Typical recommended levels of free SO2 are 20-50ppm.
The air that gets stirred into your wine is temporary (i.e. gets reacted with the free SO2) and is 'neutralized' by the free SO2 in a day or so. It is constant exposure to air via too much headspace or an incomplete seal of the container that leads to oxidation of the wine.
We learn from our mistakes. Happy w> next batch ... next problem.
Gene- where might one find the FAQ? also, where can one find this group's archive? TIA bobdrob
Try here:
The pH measurement FAQ can be found with a google search or I can post it again.
Joe
bobdrob wrote:
thanx, joe!
does an archive exist? and is it searchable? (I ask a lot for an infrequent contributor....)
Try Killsin it worked well for me. I here that if you do not do the copper thing just right you may destroy your wine.
The Google newsreader goes all the way back to the beginning in September 1993. You not only have everything, you have the Google search engine. It's 'scary' good.
Here is the link:
many tanx!
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