this is the first time we tried to make wine from hand-picked grapes. destemmed, cleaned, crushed and processed. according to directions. Just did final racking, specific gravity is .995, am ready to bottle, but it has a very powerful bouquet - takes your breathe away, and dry, almost harsh on tongue. what can I do to improve it?
Answer From Expert Roger Bohmrich MW
Making wine at home is not my area of expertise. My career in wine has revolved around commercially made wines. It sounds as if you need first-hand advice about your specific situation, so recommending a book probably won't suffice. However, you may still want to consult one, perhaps Home Winemaking for Dummies by Tim Patterson, which is available online (and can no doubt be in your hands overnight).
I am wondering about your description. By taking your breath away, do you mean the smell of alcohol, or a penetrating odor which might mean high volatile acidity? By harsh, do you mean an astringent, mouth-coating roughness or a sensation similar to vinegar? It's possible, depending on your answers, that the wine could have been spoiled by bacteria and/or yeast. I do wish you luck in resolving the issues.
