SGI:09 – Drawing Off the Wine

THE HYDROMETER Drawing Off the Wine

Basic facts:

Wine is comprised of residue, alcohol, water and residual sugar. Alcohol is formed from the fermentation of sugar.

The first drawing off is done when the fermentation has subsided or ceased. One cannot be sure if this is from the lack of bubbling in the fermentation lock, as closures and the lock often leak. One takes a reading with the hydrometer to check that the wine is not too sweet. If the wine is not ready it should be allowed to ferment out. If the wine ferments out too dry it can be chaptilised, (see chaptilisation link). A wine that is too dry has a poor balance, poor body and a shorter shelf life.Hydrometer readings where the tastes best: Red wine: dry light dry full bodied 990 – 999   1000       1001 – 1004   Rosé wine: light dry light sweet 998 – 1000   1000 – 1003   White wine: very dry light dry light sweet 996 – 1002   998 – 1001   1002 – 1005   Cherry: fresh, not sweet sweet, full bodied 1020 – 1030   1035 – 1040   Port/Madeira: light sweet full bodied 1020 – 1030   1030 – 1040   Sherry: dry medium dry sweet 1008 – 1015   1015 – 1020   1025 – 1030   Kir: light dry sweet, full bodied 1010 – 1020   1020 – 1025   White Vermouth: dry medium dry 1005 – 1015   1015 – 1025   Red Vermouth: dry sweet 1015 – 1020   1020 – 1030   Capri bitters: medium sweet 1035 – 1040   – Blacck currant: according to taste 1030 – 1040

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