Grapefruit Wine

started 1/22/2001
bottled 11/18/2001

Alcohol 15%
Initial SG 1.110
Final SG 0.997
pH 3.03 TA 0.95 (may be high due to carbonation)

Tasting Notes

11/18/2001 Color is pale yellow. The grapefruit nose and flavor is spectacular. The wine is lucious on the palate. This is one of the best wines I have made. The balance is very nice and the long finish ends with concentrated grapefruit flavor.

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Ingredients

32 medium pink grapefruit (about 5 quarts fresh squeezed juice)
11.25 pounds sugar
water to just over 5 gallons
5 yeast nutrient tablets
champagne yeast
pectic enzyme
2 g potassium bisulfite

1/22/2001 11.25 pounds sugar added to 5 gallon carboy. About 2 gallons hot water added to dissolve the sugar. 32 grapefruit were squeezed and the juice strained through a sieve to yield about 5 quarts of juice. This was added to the carboy along with 2 g sulfite. The carboy was topped up to 5 gallons. The carboy was poured into the primary fermenter, rinsed with a little more water, and the yeast nutrient added.

1/23/2001 Pectinase added in the morning. SG measured 1.110 (26.5 brix), pH 3.73, TA ~0.3. 8.7g Tartaric Acid added. Yeast hydrated and pitched.
pH 3.49, TA 0.36
5g citric acid added
pH 3.44, TA 0.39
10g citric acid added
pH 3.32, TA 0.44

1/26/2001 No sign of fermentation. Another packet of champagne yeast was hydrated and pitched.

1/27/2001 A packet of Montrachet yeast was hydrated and a starter was made by adding some of the must to the hydrating water. After a few hours, it was bubbling nicely. This was pitched. 3 tsp of yeast energizer complete nutrient was added.

1/28/2001 Fermentation is starting. Not too vigorous yet, but building.

2/11/2001 Must was strained and transferred to a 6 gallon carboy. SG 1.055 (7% brix). pH 2.69, TA 0.88. Note: did not degas to remove CO2 prior to acid measurements.

3/25/2001 Racked. SG 1.004, pH 2.90, TA 0.97. Still fermenting? Still carbonated! Taste is great!!!! It is nicely off dry and luscious grapefruit flavor.

5/27/2001 Racked - becoming clear. Still slowly fermenting. SG 0.999, pH 3.03, TA 0.95

9/23/2001 Racked. Very clear. SG 0.997. It is still carbonated, a little bubbly. The flavor is outstanding. Nice grapefruit, no bitterness, and tastes nicely balanced. Pale yellow color.

11/18/2001 Bottled - 20 750 mL bottles and 11 12 oz beer bottles. 15% alcohol