Judges Newsletter 2010, No. 2

Transcription

1 Supplies Documents such as judging sheets and headed paper can be downloaded from the Guild website in the Members Area. You need a password to access the Members Area which you can obtain from any Committee Member. For those without access to the Internet, Bill Lowe will send you a master copy of single sheet documents that can be photocopied, if you send him a DL (9x4 inches) stamped, self - addressed envelope. Useful websites POSTSCRIPT Most of you will be familiar with the National Association website, but for those who are not members of NAWB, it has lots of useful information and links. The website introduces itself as follows: Wines at home was launched towards the end of 2005 as a place for winemakers old and new to discuss all things wine. New members are invited to ask questions, never fearing ridicule, because we all start somewhere. We all make mistakes and the only silly question is the one you didn't ask! Do have a look! Judges Newsletter 2010, No. 2 CONTENTS 2 Committee 3 Editorial 4 Chairman s Report 5 Changes to the Register 6 Obituaries - Ted Greenwood 7 Frank Green 8 Conference Manager Conference Conference Menus 11 Determination of Alcohol by Volume of a Finished Wine Charles Hill 17 North Thames Region Meeting, Feb North Thames Region Meeting, April Eastern Region Meeting, March Midlands Region Meeting, May Postscript If anyone knows of any useful websites that could be included here or in links on the website, please send details to the Newsletter Editor. 24 1

2 COMMITTEE President Frank Stead Chairman & Chief Beer Examiner Bill Elks Hon Secretary & NAWB Rep. Pauline Pearce Hon Treasurer Keith Jones Chief Examiner & Newsletter Editor John Scottow Vice Chair, Registrar & Head of Technical Panel Geoff Cooper Minutes and Supplies Bill Lowe Conference Manager Colin Tweed Asst. Conference Manager Bob Morton Website: ngwbj.org.uk Subscriptions All subscriptions are due on 1st August annually. Supplies Available from Bill Lowe Judging Sheets, Notepaper see postscript, p 52 Training Manual p p&p Judges Handbook p p&p Ladies Pendant p p&p Judge s badge p p&p Ladies scarf p p&p Tie p p&p Register of Judges p p&p Please include payment and postage with order Bulk orders please enquire Judge s name badges available from Keith Jones 5.00 each, payment with order 2 The Judges now embarked on s discussion of some of the useless and banal comments made on comment labels, e.g. Not as good as the winning wine. It was mooted that some should be collected and published. So start looking at your comment slips and send any suitable examples to the Editor. Now for the cheese, Mozzarella, Taleggio, Dolcelatte, Gorgonzola and Parmesan, because it was felt the red wines would go well with cheese and there was still another red to try. VIII. Lamaione, 2000, Castelgiocondo, Montalcino, Frescobaldi, Merlot, 14.5%. Single vineyard with the grapes grown on clay soil, two years in oak barrels and a further two years in the bottle. This was a huge fruity wine with an explosion of flavour a real blockbuster Viagra for the palate. The general opinion was that they liked it. After the cheeses we rounded the meal off with a Panetone bread and butter pudding served with vanilla ice cream accompanied by some dessert wines. IX. Moscato Dindarello, produced by Maculan in 2008, 11.5%. The grapes are harvested when totally ripe and allowed to ferment using airborne yeasts. The wine had a bouquet of honey and flowers and this full-bodied wine had a fresh light sweetness. It was declared a luscious wine. X. Pomino Vinsanto DOC, This wine is produced from Chardonnay and Trebbianao grapes. The wine was a deep amber colour, the bouquet was complex with nutty overtones, candied fruit, dried grapes and even oriental spices. A beautifully balanced sweet wine, not at all cloying. By this time in the evening the Judges were quite happy to sup with very few comments. Tempus fugit. Pauline s chariot was summoned and the Judges retired to bed. Buona sera, Lucrezia! 23

3 taste of malic acid. This wine complemented the starter of asparagus wrapped in Parma ham served on avocado pear with a vinaigrette dressing. IV. Vesuvium, Greco di Tufo, Guess where the grapes from this wine were grown? No prizes. The green variety of grapes was first cultivated on the slopes of Vesuvius. The rich minerals in the soil make the slopes exceptionally good for vine growing. The wine was straw yellow with fresh, fruity aroma, although one judge thought it had mushroomy overtones. It was medium bodied with a long elegant finish. This also went remarkably well with the starter. There was a split between wine III and wine IV as to which was the better. Whilst the kitchen slave was putting the final touches to main course Kate amused the guests with her unabridged dead drunk stories of her youth, which involved such items as whisky, straws and prolonged amnesia. John was so staggered by these revelations that he unsuccessfully tried to pour wine from an uncorked bottle - at least that was his excuse. Enter the serving girl with Pork Napolitana on a bed of spinach and sliced potatoes, served with broad beans cooked with pancetta. Three wines had been selected to accompany the main course. V Valpolicella. A lovely wine, full of fruit with an excellent bouquet, soft on the palette but with a long flavour which went very well with the pork and the tomato sauce. Unfortunately the bottle was not left and so the details went unrecorded. VI. Barbera D Alba, Poderi Colla, 2007, 14%, from a small family estate. Another excellent wine with a lovely bouquet, the flavour was rich and well balanced. The scribe thought the label which depicted a jolly cockerel was great, but some of the Judges declared it was naff, but they don t always know what they are talking about (the scribe was sober they weren t). VII. Monteraponi, Chianti Classico 2006, produced in Radda, one of the highest vineyards in Tuscany. A quote from the producer In my wine you have acid and mineral parallel. In the mouth you feel it: acid, mineral, acid, mineral. The wine had very typical Sangiovese flavours with good structure and balance and was enjoyed by all the Judges except Pauline, who wasn t keen on it. This is a slim edition, but contains important information about the conference in October and your subscriptions, due on 1st August. Sadly, we have to report the deaths of four members, Lou Argent, Ted Greenwood, Frank Green and Harold Ritchie. There are obituaries for Ted and Frank in this Newsletter and Lou is mentioned in the Eastern Region notes. Harold Ritchie was from Burton on Trent and founded Ritchie Products, suppliers of home wine and brewing products. There is one major article, and it is a technical one, from Charles Hill. I used to have access to a refractometer but not since I retired from school. I thought they were rather expensive, but having read Charles article, I took his advice and looked on ebay and I am now the proud owner of a decent hand-held refractometer for less than 18. It will be very useful when it comes to checking my fruit and grapes in the Autumn. So, thanks Charles for the tip. My thanks to the other contributors. It is good to know that the regional groups are meeting. It would be good to hear from some more of you - a note, a letter, an , a question or a suggestion. This is your Newsletter, and now you can get it electronically from the Guild website. Only four people have so far signed up to receive it electronically instead of in print by post. Do try it out. This edition will have a small file size as there are no photographs. There are currently no candidates for the exam for the Guild, but we are always willing to put on an exam for suitable candidates. I know you will encourage any suitable candidates. The exam does not have to be at the National Show or the conference, although these may be convenient in terms of cost and time. My stocks of major faults are being maintained, but I am always grateful for good examples of mousy wines (although I hope you never get one). John Scottow EDITORIAL 22 3

4 Following the hardest winter for some years Spring has been slow to arrive, although the Spring flowers have duly obliged. Fruit trees are in blossom and I am waiting for the elderflowers to appear. Good news on the competition front: Beds and Herts Federation have recorded yet another increase in bottle entries 6.5% up on 2009, but a whopping 50% increase on the 2006 entries. Unfortunately both the National and the Essex Federation have recorded slightly lower entries. There are still the Wales and West and the Yorkshire Federation shows to come and early indications are that numbers and entries are holding up well they too will be history by the time you read this. With NAWB having found a new venue for 2011 because Scarborough is too expensive, we must encourage as many as possible to support their new venture it s use it or lose it! Please spread the word. Our own AGM weekend has moved forward this year to the 22nd to 24th October, so you will be able to enjoy the extra hour in bed at home! Colin has another full programme planned with a good range of talks and tastings - details elsewhere in this issue. Please help Keith, our Treasurer, by making sure your standing orders are up to date, i.e , before their due date, 1st August. A lot of Keith s time is spent sending reminders regarding short payment, or requesting cheques from those of you who just forget. I thank you all in anticipation. With huge fluctuations in the weather - cold, dry, wet - volcanic ash, and the uncertain political outlook, life could be depressing, so thank goodness for our hobby and its many friendships which really make life worth living. Good weather, good brewing, good health. Bill Elks CHAIRMAN S REPORT 4 Our last beer was a strong ale brewed by Mike. With an SG of it was full-bodied, malty with a fiery finish. Les & Sylvia were thanked for their hospitality. Midlands Region Meeting 8 th May 2010 Italian Evening Buon giorno. The guests, who were Pauline Pearce and her daughter Julia, Kate and Richard Edge and Charles Hill arrived at the Villa Scottow to commence an evening of Italian revels. It was good to have the Judges together again. An ancient Roman should have prepared the food but as he said he could not buy enough dormice for the orgy he was given the sandal and thrown to the lions. Enough was salvaged to make a pleasant feast and a grape evening. Resting on their laurels the first amphora was opened: I. Prosecco, Riva dei Frati, from Treviso, 11.5%, This was a light, summer, fizzy wine with not much bead and a bouquet of ripe pears. It was a good accompaniment for the olives, mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes. II. Canti Prosecco Spumante, brut, 11.5%. This was a pale straw colour with a bouquet of green apples and flowers (according to the label). The bead was small, but the bouquet of our bottle was rather sulphury - a quick check to see that Vesuvius was behaving himself - a nose twitching wine which may have been better served very cold, and not as clean and fresh as wine numero uno. Perhaps a party wine. There was a brief discussion on how cold wines and drinks should be served and whether chilling drinks kill the flavour? Kate wondered if anyone had made wine from grass and what it would be like. John volunteered our lawn for Kate to mow for the ingredients. His offer was declined. III. Luisa, Friuliano, 2007, 14%. A somewhat different food wine with no dominant flavour or bouquet, but it was a clean and refreshing wine. The grapes for this wine are grown at high altitude, which resulted in an after 21

5 Pleas for funding for basic minute reading & computer training were met with stony silence. On to the Lager tasting. We had a wide range of continental lagers to try and as expected all were fairly similar in bouquet and taste. We also had 2 home brew lagers from Richard. The first, a light lager was an excellent example of the style. Made from lager malt with a blend of Perle, Hallatau and Saaz hops. It had a clean hoppy nose and taste with good balance. With Light lagers there is no room for any error with the hop calculations. Richard had got this spot on. Richard s second offering was a strong lager. It was made from lager malt with a small percentage of Munich malt. The hops were a mix of Perle and Mittlefrau. It had a touch of amyl on the nose, a clean taste with an excellent mouth feel.. We then moved on to the home brewed IPAs. First to be tasted was one from Mike. This was an experimental batch where only 25% of the hops were added to the boil and the balance added when the boiler was turned off and left to soak for 1 hour. This had not resulted in the expected increase in hop character and aroma.. In a similar trial carried out by members of the Craft Brewers this had resulted in a brew with tremendous hop bouquet and character. Mike thought that perhaps his hops were not the best and freshest. The next to be tasted was a honey beer from Mike. Brewed from pale malt, Challenger hops and honey. Brewed for the forthcoming Guild AGM this had only been in the bottle 24 hours and so not surprisingly was lacking any condition whatsoever. It was felt that come October it would be in fine form. Next to be tasted was an IPA from Richard, although with an SG of 1070 it was heading more for a strong ale. It was however a superb drink. Full bodied, with a lovely balance between malt and hops. Changes to the Register Deceased: Lou Argent, Ted Greenwood, Frank Green, Harold Ritchie Change of Address and telephone number: Phill Turner, 286 Bexley Road, London, SE9 2PN, Tel Joe Lee, 12 Callerdale Road, Blyth, Northumberland, NE24 5AB, Tel Change of address: Bernard Lucas: B.Lucas@physics.org Joe Lee: joelee946@btinternet.com Richard Brooksbank: rnbro@talktalk.net New Telephone number: Richard Brooksbank Please do not forget to inform the Registrar, Geoff Cooper, by letter, or telephone, of any change of your address, telephone number or address. Subscriptions 2010 Subs are due on 1st August. There should be a letter from the Treasurer enclosed with this Newsletter. Please make sure you pay the correct subscription for If you pay by standing order it is for full and overseas members, 7.00 for non-active or associate members. If you pay by cheque the subscription is or If you have not received the letter, please contact the Treasurer. 20 5

6 OBITUARIES Ted Greenwood I am sorry to inform the Guild that Ted Greenwood died on Tuesday 2 February aged 91. Ted started making wine about 50 years ago when he lived in Enfield, he eventually joined Enfield Wine Circle where he was Chairman for many years, he lived in a large Victorian house with a cellar used to store wine which was also the party room with a bar and piano with a notice above the door Den Of Eden, he was called Eden by his wife (one of his middle names). He became a National Wine Judge whilst living at Enfield. His main occupation was a dog handler in British Railway Police. On retirement Ted moved to Abbotskerswell, near Newton Abbot in Devon, here he joined the Newton Abbot Wine Circle eventually becoming Chairman for several years. He became very involved in encouraging members of his wine circle and other local circles in the South Devon area to take up stewarding wine circle competitions with a view to become judges, several members did become Federation Judges, he also judged at the National Show, the South West Federation Show and many local circle competitions. Lynda, his daughter, informs me that he leaves two grandsons and wonderful great granddaughter of whom he was very proud. He was well known in the family for telling very corny and very drawn out jokes that went on and on and on. He was well known for his cheerfulness when visiting local wine circles in the South West Federation, and is remembered for all the help he gave them, he will be sadly missed by his family and by members of the Local Wine Circles. Roger Kingdon 6 7. Bernard provided us with a Lindauer (Montana). This was deep yellow in colour and very fruity with a good bead, producing a lovely wine. 8. Tony produced a Champagne (Blanc et Noir) from Tesco. This was a lovely lively mouthful, with a good nose and flavour but it was considered very expensive for its result, as it had cost 17.29! Nevertheless, we did enjoy it. 9. Sandra s wine Louis Chaurey (Champagne) from Marks & Spencer. Very good nose and flavour and enjoyed by all. Tony thanked all who brought wines to taste, Bill for his aperitif and Jack for our refreshments. Just before our evening ended, we heard that Bob had become the President of NAWB, and offered him our congratulations. Eastern Region Meeting March 2010 The meeting was informed of the death of Lou Argent. Although Lou had been non-active for a number of years he was fondly remembered by most of those present. The forthcoming national and EWF shows were briefly discussed. Convenor Les Hopper said that he finally had sufficient judges for the EWF show. We then had a tasting of various lagers and IPA beers. This was to have been a tasting of IPA / bitters but for some unknown reason the minutes had been typed to read lagers! Those who had read the minutes bought lagers, those who relied on their memory of the last meeting bought IPA s. The scribe was severely chastised and spent the rest of the afternoon standing in a corner wearing a dunce s hat. 19

7 6. Green Chartreuse from Stan. Very powerful and very enjoyable. Noirot extract used again. Tony thanked all who had brought liqueurs, Peter for our refreshments, and Bernard for our enjoyable rosé. North Thames Region Meeting April 2010 Our tasting for this evening was of sparkling wines. 1. Stan provided our first wine, which was a Cava. It was pleasant and fresh, although one person commented on a slightly bitter farewell. 2. Gene and Roy brought a Cordoníu. We found this slightly more grapey, with a small bead. The condition of both of these first two wines was very good. 3. Chris and Mike had brought a Cava Reserve Arestel - from Spain. Again, as expected with a commercial wine, the condition was very good. We found it fruity and enjoyable. 4. Bill s first wine was made in 2009, from white grape juice and apple and elderflower juice. Very pleasant, although not star bright, and slightly sweet. 5. Bill s second wine was made as the first, but when he sweetened it, he used raspberry juice; this had produced its delicate pink colour. The condition of both wines was excellent, and both were much enjoyed. 6. Bob had made his wine from a Connoisseur s Choice Pinot Blanc kit in July He had then turned it into a sparkling wine, but this was disappointing, as it was rather flat. John Charles (Frank ) Green Born in October 1929 and christened John Charles, he was known as John until he started work at Millways Engineering as an engineer, (where he eventually became a leading hand). There was another John Green already at the company and someone said he looked like a Frank and the name stuck. Most of us have only ever known him as Frank. Along with his wife Doreen, Frank was very involved with the Freshwater, Isle of Wight, wine club. They both held the position of Chairman/Chairperson on numerous occasions, Frank for a total of about fifteen years. In later years they were running the club on their own. They visited the other clubs on the island whenever possible but as neither could drive it meant travelling either by bus or on bicycles. They certainly travelled many miles on their bikes. It also meant that as non drivers they used public transport when off the island, travelling to the National at Blackpool, Scarborough and Weston Super Mare by coach, carrying luggage and at least one box of wine. That alone shows his dedication as a National Judge and Winemaker Frank was a very good winemaker and was Winemaker of the Year on the Island on more than one occasion. He also won classes and gained places in prestigious shows on the mainland. He especially enjoyed both entering into and judging at the New Forest Show until its demise a few years ago. He was extremely proud that he was the only National Judge on the Isle of Wight Frank suffered with chest problems over many years with pneumonia developing over about the last four. He spent most of the last six months in hospital where he died on 21 st April. Another fellow judge, winemaker and friend who has joined many others in the great vineyard and will be sadly missed. Ryan Kelly 18 7

8 CONFERENCE MANAGER 47 th Guild Conference 22 rd 24 th OCTOBER 2010 This year s Conference is once again at the Best Western Hotel in Retford, and as usual there is a packed programme of events to entertain members and guests. The conference fee has this year been increased to to allow for a more supplemented menu and better wine tastings. The good news is the hotel cost is on a 2 year contract so the price stays the same as last year. The weekend will commence on the Friday evening with a homemade sparkling wine reception provided by Bob Morton & Karl Grocock. This will be followed by an evening meal with wines provided by a team of our members to accompany each course. Please also feel free to also bring along your own home made wines to finish of the evening. The dinner menus are printed in this newsletter to help you select your wines to complement your meals. (NO COMMERCIAL CORKS OR LABELS). Please note that this year s weekend menus again include the vegetarian option and the choice of cheese and biscuits instead of dessert, as this was a total success last year. A form for your choices is also included with the booking form. If no selection is made you will be provided with the starter, main meal and dessert or any other special dietary requirement that you request. Our first guest speaker on Saturday morning is Richard Brooksbank, who will be talking about and supplying samples of dessert wines. This is followed by a pre-victorian beer tasting conducted by Mike Davey and his team of beer makers, which is a follow on to the Victorian beer tasting that we had in After lunch Charles Hill is giving a wine tasting on the wines of Italy. Please bring your tasting glasses to each event. 8 North Thames Region Meeting February 2010 Tony mentioned our winning the trophy for last year s newsletter, and thanked Anne for her contribution. Now to this evening s tasting, which was to be liqueurs. Colin had sent a message regarding the strength of liqueurs, saying that some judges are complaining that the alcohol is too low or too high when they are judging liqueurs according to which alcohol people are using. If we look at original liqueurs a lot of them had 90-96% alcohol and were still balanced, while today most commercial liqueurs are only in the 22-25% strength. If you are making liqueurs the old fashioned way, the alcohol will be high. We agreed, if in doubt, consult the schedule. Although polish spirit or vodka is normally recommended, many schedules allow the use of gin for Sloe Gin, whisky for Drambuie and rum for Tia Maria. 1. Sloe Gin this was Anne s several years old, and seemed to be liked by all good bouquet, length, flavour, weight and well balanced. 2. Peter s was made from soaking plums in vodka. It was felt to be a little low in alcohol and could have been a little sweeter. However, the flavour was good. Bill explained that by using vodka (at 37.5%) as soon as the sugar was added, the alcohol was reduced, making it too low. 3. Yellow Chartreuse from Bernard. Full flavour, complex herbal bouquet, it was very enjoyable. Bernard had used Noirot extract. 4. Jack s Crème de Noix (reserve de Toute Mion) from the Dordogne was very difficult to open but Peter eventually managed with the aid of a penknife. It was well worth the effort lovely, rich, super bouquet, lovely balance - 30% alcohol. 5. Tio Mario - the male version from Bill lovely with an intense coffee nose and flavour. Bill used rum and inserted a vanilla pod for two days. 17

9 The second wine, Ilbesheimer Herrlich Beerenauslese (Pfalz) 2001, is an example using a sweet wine. The refractometer reading was 17¼. From table 1, looking up 17¼ (in the second column of R Scale readings) gives an R reading of The hydrometer showed the specific gravity of the wine to be giving a D reading of 38. Calculating R-D, we have = Looking up this value in Table 2 tells us that the wine is 11.9% ABV. The bottle label declared the wine to be 12.0% ABV. Again this reading is well within the ± ½% error range claimed for the method. The fact that the equipment I have produces results that are so close for two very different commercial wines gives me confidence that the values I get with my home made wines are pretty accurate. Most of the readings I get compare reasonably with those expected from calculations of the amount of sugar consumed by the yeast, but I do find that where there was a lengthy fermentation on the pulp the refractometer/hydrometer method shows that less alcohol was produced than you might otherwise have hoped for. This method of calculation is not new, it was first brought to our attention in the October 1970 edition of Amateur Winemaker. The article in that magazine described a refractometer which gave the R scale reading directly, should you have one of that type you will not need to use table 1. The values I have given in Table 1 were supplied by the manufacturers of the refractometer, though for ease of calculation I have interpolated to give the quarter percent columns. In 1970 the editor of AW commented that at a cost of 25 an individual winemaker was unlikely to be able to afford a refractometer. I was given mine a few years ago by someone who had given up making wine, but I understand that the current cost of a refractometer is around 70 though I am told that they are a lot cheaper than that on e-bay. So the price of refractometers has obviously not kept up with inflation. To illustrate this I will give a few prices from 1970, the Amateur Winemaker magazine itself cost just 10p. A hydrometer would set you back 42½p, a kilo of grape concentrate between 45p and 60p depending on type. A halfhundredweight of pale malt cost 3.50 and a 56 lb drum of malt extract was just 5. All prices have been converted into decimal currency. Those were the days! Charles Hill The talk that will take place upstairs this year during the AGM is a real treat for the ladies. It is a demonstration and tasting session conducted by Personally Yours Chocolate of Sheffield. I am sure there will be a good attendance for this event, and I don t think I will have to twist any arms this year. The Saturday evening conference dinner will see a return of Frank Stead as Master of Ceremonies. Frank has kindly accepted the invitation to entertain us all with his usual brand of good humour. The Sunday morning programme starts off with the wine and beer assessment. This is to be conducted by Richard and Kate Edge, followed by our guest speaker Bob Marsdon talking about Those Radio Times. This is a follow up to Bob s previous very successful talk on Victorian music halls. Both these events are to be held upstairs in the Grove Room followed by lunch downstairs in the Shelly Suite The wine for the Judges wine and beer assessment on Sunday is Table Sweet White and the beer is Dark Mild OG 1045 (2 x 1 pint bottles required). Let s make this year s conference as successful as last year, and I hope more of you will attend and enjoy a great weekend with all your likeminded friends. If you have not been before give it a try I am sure you will have a great time. And remember the AGM on the Saturday afternoon is your chance to voice your opinions. Colin Tweed To whet your appetites, the menus are on the following page. The Conference Booking form should be enclosed with this Newsletter. If you have not received yours, please contact Colin Tweed. 16 9

10 2010 C0NFERENCE MENUS Please note: pre-ordering of cheese& biscuits and vegetarian meals is required Friday Dinner King prawns & fresh smoked salmon with rocket leaves & dill dressing or vegetarian option- Fan of melon or fruit juice Roast pork with sage & onion seasoning with apple sauce or vegetarian option- Tomato & aubergine tower Served with a selection of fresh seasonal vegetables & potatoes Vanilla cheesecake with fruit compote with whipped cream or Cheese & biscuits Coffee & mints Saturday Dinner Smoked chicken & orange salad with Chefs dressing or vegetarian option Melon or fruit juice Cooked slowly Lamb Shank with rosemary & red currant gravy or vegetarian option- Baked stuffed red pepper with tomato fondue served with a selection of fresh seasonal vegetables & potatoes Toffee & date pudding & custard or Cheese & biscuits or Fresh fruit salad Coffee & mints Sunday Lunch Chef s Vegetable soup Roast Chicken with seasoning or vegetarian option- Stuffed baked field mushrooms served with a selection of fresh seasonal vegetables & potatoes Chocolate profiteroles or Cheese & biscuits or Fresh fruit salad Coffee & mints Saturday lunch Ploughman s lunch The next step is to take the D Reading (D for Density). This will be much more familiar. It is simply the hydrometer reading ignoring the 1 and the decimal point, so a specific gravity of gives a D Reading of 14. If the gravity is below 1 then the D Reading is negative, so a specific gravity of gives a D Reading of -6 (minus six). It is important that the two readings are taken as close together as possible, because both the refractometer reading and the hydrometer reading will vary with the temperature of the wine being sampled. However, the correction for temperature is the same for both readings, so as long as both readings are taken at the same temperature you can forget about the need for correction to the readings. When a refractometer was passed round a circle meeting recently, the reading at the end after many warm hands had held it was very different to the reading at the start. Next subtract the D Reading from the R Reading (R-D). You must remember that if you subtract a negative number then you add the number, so if the specific gravity of the wine is less than then R-D will be greater than R. It now just remains to look up the value of R-D in Table 2 to obtain the alcohol by volume of the finished wine. The range of the table covers the full range of alcohol levels we are likely to find in our home made wines including fortified ones. Examples of the Calculations When I first got the refractometer I used it to test several samples of commercial wine and I was surprised by the closeness of the values obtained with those declared on the bottle. I have decided to repeat this with a couple of wines I was drinking at the time to illustrate the method. The first wine, Lacoste-Borie (Pauillac) 1998, gave a refractometer reading of very slightly below 7 (but much closer to 7 than 6¾). So, From Table 1, look up 7% Brix and obtain the R Scale reading of The hydrometer showed a specific gravity of 0.992, so the D Reading is -8 (minus 8). Calculating the difference (R-D) between these two readings gives a value of (remember two negatives make a positive). Now, look up this value in table 2: 49.0 shows 12.6% ABV, 49.5 shows 12.8% ABV is about halfway between these values, so the readings obtained result in the wine being 12.7% ABV. This is very close to the value of 12½% ABV declared on the bottle label. In fact, as wines in the EU are declared to nearest ½%, you can argue that the reading is spot on

11 Table 2: Table relating R-D values with Percentage Alcohol By Volume R-D % ABV R-D % ABV R-D % ABV Determination of Alcohol by Volume of a Finished Wine Using a Pocket Refractometer and a Hydrometer. Recently when speaking to a group of winemakers the subject of measurement of ABV of wines was raised and in the discussion that followed I found that very few were aware that it was possible to measure the alcohol by volume of a finished wine using two instruments, a hydrometer and a pocket refractometer, without any knowledge of the ingredients used to make the wine. The hydrometer will be familiar to everybody with more than just a passing interest in winemaking. It is an invaluable instrument for checking the process of fermentation and in the case of a wine made entirely from juices we have plenty of tables to tell us how much alcohol we can expect from our starting gravity. Yes, I know sugar produces different amounts of alcohol depending on whether the fermentation is anaerobic or aerobic (with or without air), but the tables are a pretty good guide. Where determination of alcohol by hydrometer alone gets difficult is when we ferment on the pulp because we are not at all sure what effect the solids may have on our readings. Another problem comes from feeding sugar as the fermentation progresses as we have a change of volume every time we add sugar or syrup. The hydrometer gives us accuracy when we have a solution of sugar in water, it is also accurate for testing alcohol and water (spirits) but our finished wine contains sugar, alcohol and water (and a few other things, but they are not major players) and the position is confused, the sugar raises the gravity above that of water whilst the alcohol lowers the gravity below that of water. The specific gravity of our finished wine is therefore a function of the difference between the sugar concentration and the alcohol concentration. The refractometer is not so familiar to amateur winemakers, though the modern craft brewer seems to be obsessed with them. It measures refraction, this is the bending of light when it passes obliquely from one medium into another. Refraction is what makes things in a stream or pond appear less deep than they actually are. A refractometer has a prism box at one end and an eye-piece at the other. Open the prism box, place a drop or two of the liquid to be tested on the polished surface of the prism. Close the prism box and point the instrument to a light source such as the sky or an electric light. A circular field will be observed through the eye-piece with a vertical scale across the centre. It will be observed that the field is divided horizontally into light and dark portions. The position at which the demarcation line crosses the scale gives the reading you require. The eye-piece can be adjusted to give focus. 11

12 Just as hydrometers come with different scales depending on their purpose so do refractometers. The one I have has a Brix scale from Brix is probably a scale you have seen in tables and not known what it is. It s easy: if you have a solution of sugar in water, then it is simply the percentage of sugar in the solution. If you have your own vines it is useful because you can select a typical grape, squeeze a drop of juice onto the prism and read its sugar content to decide whether to pick your grapes, or leave them hoping for greater ripeness, much easier than pressing a hydrometer jar full. If 28% seems high, don t forget that 28% sugar equates to less than 17% expected alcohol. Beer refractometers have a lower scale but will still be useful for the evaluation of alcohol by the method I am about to describe for all but the sweetest after dinner wines. Again when we test our finished wine in a refractometer the position is confused because sugar and alcohol both change the refraction, however here sugar and alcohol change the refraction compared to that of water in the same direction. So the refractive index of our finished wine is a function of the sum of the sugar concentration and the alcohol concentration. Mathematicians will see where this is going. If the refractometer gives us a value of alcohol plus sugar and the hydrometer gives us a value of alcohol minus sugar then simple arithmetic will give us the amounts of each of those two components in our finished wine. Scientists discovered this method in the early sixties in response to pleas from Customs & Excise for a quicker way of determining the alcohol content of increasing consignments of wines. Until then it had been necessary to distil a measured amount of wine making sure all the alcohol goes over into the receiver leaving all the sugar behind. It was then restored to its original volume with distilled water, brought to exactly 20ºC, the specific gravity taken and the ABV read off of a chart. It was a very time-consuming process. If I have all the equipment and tables to hand then the process which replaced it takes me about a minute. The way I do this is to pour the finished wine into the hydrometer jar and float the hydrometer. I do not take the gravity reading at this stage but instead put a drop of wine from the hydrometer jar onto the prism of the refractometer. Point the refractometer at a bright light and note the reading. The scale on my refractometer is marked in units of ½% but I always take a reading to the nearest ¼% because this is consistent with taking the gravity reading to the nearest Use the refractometer reading to look up the R Scale reading in Table 1 ( R for refraction). Examples are given towards the end of this article. Table 1: R Scale Reading from %age sugar shown by Refractometer Sugar % "R SCALE" Brix Brix % Brix + ¼% Brix + ½% Brix + ¾%