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JEP
 
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(Jaybert41) wrote in message >...
>
> Can anyone explain why the lesser QMP's would show lower acidiy levels and
> therefore be out of balance than the much riper (and presumably sweeter)
> Spatleses, Ausleses, BA's and TBA's?


One theory that could explain this is:

During times of high heat or extreme lack of water, the vine can start
to shut down and sugar production comes to a halt. Therefore no sugar
is being sent to the grapes, but the malate present in the grape itsef
is still respired, reducing it's content. So now the grapes could have
fairly low sugar content and low malic acid content and these end up
going into the Kabinetts and Spatlese.

The vines that did not suffer from the high heat and lack of water
continue to produce sugar at a high rate due to the above average
amount of sun light and are picked when the acid levels are right, but
with a much higher Brix. They may actually be picked before the
Kabinett/Spatlese grapes.
These go into the Auslese.

Some of these Auslese grapes are left on the vine and dehydration
starts, concentrating both the acids and the sugar. Even though some
of the malate is still being consumed in the grapes, the dehydration
of the grapes can keep the acid to water ratio the same while sugar to
water ratio increases. These go into the BA and TBAs.

Or the winemaker could have just added acid.

Andy