I was just thinking of ways to make sulphite-free wines. A usual way is sterilization by boiling the must.
But since alcohol is a preservative, wouldn't it be possible to infuse a going batch with additional juice. For example, if a 15% alcohol wine has
10% juice tossed in every time it reaches 15%, wouldn't this make a preserved wine without cooking and without sulphites?Has anyone tried this?
Chia Pet,
This is roughly how they make Port wine, except that they add high proof alcohol to partially fermented wine to "preserve" it. There are still two things to keep in mind: 1) Oxygen and/or elevated temperature will still affect the wine by simply chemical means, affecting the flavor. 2) Acetobacter, which are everywhere, like nothing better than turning alcohol into acetic acid, if oxygen is present. Keeping those things in mind, I'd say "try it". I've never heard of quite this technique, and you might work something out. BTW, wines produce a certain small amount of sulfites during fermentation, so your wines would never be quite free of them.
HTH, Mike MTM
Perhaps I'm a bit confused by your post. How does adding juice preserve your wine? I don't see any way that added juice or high alcohol will prevent oxidation.
All you will do is add more sugar which will start to ferment again until you reach the limit of the yeast. That may be as high as 18-19%.
Could you clarify more what it is you are trying to accomplish?
Q6gyb.11671$ snipped-for-privacy@nwrdny02.gnil>
Not oxidation, but infection by unwanted lifeforms.
No, the juice would contain other ingredients, just like the original must.
Making wine without boiling or campden tablets.
Why?
Hmm, again, I'm not sure what you want. If you just want to make wine without suflites, then make it. You should not need to worry about nasty things growing in it if your alcohol level is above 10% and it has enough acid. Nothing that can harm humans will grow in wine. It is a preservative itself. Note that without sulfites, it will oxidize more readily and may not last as long, but many people make perfectly fine wines without sulfite. What do you hope to accomplish by adding more juice? If you do, it will begin to ferment again. If your goal is to make a wine that is not dry (sweeter) then you will have to bring your alcohol level up to a point that the yeast will not live (>16% usually) or use potassium sorbate and bisulfite to inhibit fermentation.
I think you are confused about the process of making wine. Yes, alcohol will kill germs. No pathogen will live in wine. But that is not what the sulfite is protecting the wine from. In the beginning sulfite will inhibit wild yeast. Later, the sulfite protects wine from oxidation which happens when wine comes in contact with air. The low levels of sulfite normally added to wine will give wine enough protection to survive the air that gets to it during the making, handling, testing, and aging process. Without it, wine will eventually oxidize. This does not make the wine unhealthy such that it will make you sick. It just makes the wine taste bad. If you are not sure what oxidation means, pour a glass of red wine in a blender and blend a bit of air into it. Then pour it into a clean, empty wine bottle so that it is less than half full, cover it to keep the bugs out, and leave it on the counter for a few days so the oxygen in the air has a chance to displace any sulfite that is in the wine and chemically mix with the wine. Then taste it. You will understand what oxidize means. If a wine completely oxidizes it will turn brown and loose all of it's character.
Without sulfite wine will not keep well during aging. It will probably reach it's peak within a year and will start deteriorating in 2. No chance of aging to 5 years or more.
Ray
DrinksForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.