How to Make Dessert Wine
Dessert wine is a wine that has a high remaining sugar content after it has been fermented. Grapes intended for dessert wines typically undergo a process to increase the pulp's sugar content. During its fermentation, yeast converts the wine's sugar into alcohol. The less sugar that is converted into alcohol, the sweeter a wine will end up. Although 3 percent remaining sugar is considered a sweet wine, only 5 percent residual sugar is what is commonly called a dessert wine. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Harvest the grapes after their normal harvesting period. This makes the grape's pulp contain high amounts of sugar.
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Lay the picked grapes on mats, and let them dry out and shrivel up.
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Crush the grapes.
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If making a white dessert wine, remove the skins, seeds and pulp from the juice.
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Ferment the wine, either with ambient yeasts or cultured yeasts.
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Before the yeasts have fully converted all the sugar, add a small amount of sulfur dioxide to kill the yeast.
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Drain the wine, separating it from the yeasts and any particles, along with the skins, pulp and seeds if not removed before fermentation.
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Tips & Warnings
Grapes can be frozen, making it possible to separate the water from the concentrated juice, leaving the juice high in sugar content. Grapes infected with Botrytis cinerea can also be used to make dessert wines because the fungus consumes a portion of the water.
