When I first started winemaking (4 years ago) my first 5-gallon
efforts were good - we all liked them.

However, the past two years, I have had the devils own job. I made a
Beaverdale kit for "Valpolicella", put a belt on it, and kept it in a
polystyrene box. It had 3 weeks to ferment, and the s.g. got to 995
with all airlock activity ceased.

I cleared it, and left it for 2 more weeks.

I went to bottle it, tasted a bit, and it was terribly sweet :-(

This keeps on happening, despite my using the hydrometer (which I've
checked, and it reads 1.000 in water). Is there any more I can do ?

thanks guys