Brewing wine with Oechslescale hydrometer: drawing off

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 (with Oechslescale) where the tastes best:

Red wine:

dry
light dry
full bodied

-10

-

-1

0

+1
-
+4

Rosé wine:

light dry
light sweet

-2
-
-0

-0
-
+3

White wine:

very dry
light dry
light sweet

-4

-

-2

-2
-
+1

+2
-
+5

Cherry:

fresh, not sweet
sweet, full bodied

+20
-
+30

+35
-
+40

Port/Madeira:

light sweet
full bodied

+20
-
+30

+30
-
+40

Sherry:

dry
medium dry
sweet

+8

-

+15

+15
-
+20

+25
-
+30

Kir:

light dry
sweet, full bodied

+10

-

+20

+20
-
+25

White Vermouth:

dry
medium dry

+5

-

+15

+15
-
+25

Red Vermouth:

dry
sweet

+15

-

+20

+20
-
+30

Capri bitters:

medium sweet

+35

-

+40

-

Blacck currant:

according to taste

+30

-

+40