Hello EC Kraus!

Love your wine making site, learning a lot about home wine making; haven't taken the plunge yet but I am still researching. I had a question for you folks. What is the going opinion of making wine with fresh grapes and crushing them, as opposed to using a wine ingredient kit? Is one better than

the other by default, or would you say either method can produce excellent or horrible results?

How is the quality of the juice that comes with the wine making kits? Can you say that some kits are better than others? Or does it, like the method used, depend on the variables surrounding the grapes, where they came from, etc, which, in my opinion, would apply to either method.

Thanks for your time,

Phil B.
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Dear Phil,

Thanks for the great question!

Whether you are making wine from grapes or ingredient kits the quality of the wine starts with the quality of the grapes. There is an adage in the wine making industry that says, "You can never make a wine that is better than the grapes used to make it." What this means is that you'll never make great wine out of cheap grapes. The quality of the wine always starts with the quality of the grapes.

When making wine from fresh grapes the individual winemaker usually has a limited selection of grapes to choose from. Quality can suffer when dealing in the take-it-or-leave-it type market that often arises for the home winemaker.

The quality of grapes that you will find in ingredient kits vary from great to outstanding. It is not in the interest of these kit producers to spend time packaging poor wine making grapes, so great care is taken to locate and acquire grapes that are above average quality. This is one of the major advantages to using a wine making ingredient kit. You are able to rely on the kit producer's expertise in selecting quality grapes. So on the whole you'll be starting with a better quality grape when using a wine ingredient kit versus obtaining grapes on your own.

We offer an array of different brands. As you go up the ladder in price the finer your selection of grape--starting with our California Connoisseur line which produces fine, everyday drinking wines on up to our KenRidge Founder's Series which features specially selected grapes from specific wine regions (appellations) around the world.

How much you spend depends on your level of appreciation for wine. Some people are completely happy with the California Connoisseur and could not tell a difference even if they did go up the ladder in price. For others the California Connoisseur simply would not do. So how far up the ladder you go is very much a personal issue.

Unfortunately, quality grapes do not guarantee a stellar wine, it's just the first requirement necessary to get there. Between the grapes and the bottle is a whole host of other factors such as: acidity, alcohol, sweetness, etc.

Making wine from an wine making ingredient kit alleviates you from these factors. They have already been taken care of for you by the kit producers. They balance the acidity, sugar content and many other features such as clarification and oak treatment to match the character of the wine you are making. By eliminating as many variables as possible they are insuring that you will make a remarkable wine every time.

So while wine making from grapes or concentrates each holds its own rewards, by starting with a wine making ingredient kit you are virtually eliminating any chance of producing a bad wine. Add to that the incredible kit selection that is now available to the home winemaker and it starts to become apparent that a wine making ingredient kit is the way to go for the beginner.

I hope this covers all your question and curiosities. Please realize that regardless of which road you decide to take we will be more than happy to help you in any way you need.

Best Wishes,
Customer Service at E. C. Kraus

On many occasions we have been asked this simple question, "Should a wine making fermenter be sealed with an air-lock during the first few days of fermentation, or should it be left open, exposed to the air?"

This question arises because there is so much conflicting information floating around in wine making books, on the internet and in other places as to which method is correct. In fact, even our own wine making website recommends just covering the primary fermentation with a thin towel, while the box ingredient kits we sell recommend using an air-lock.

Even commercial wineries are not consistent in this area. While most wineries will put white wines under an air-lock and expose red wines to air, there are many, many wineries that will do the very opposite.

The reason we recommend leaving the must exposed to air during the primary fermentation is because this method leads a more vigorous fermentation, one that is able to complete more thoroughly and rapidly. Wine making kit producers recommend sealing up the primary fermentation with an air-lock because they are more concerned about eliminating any risk of spoilage than providing the fastest fermentation possible.

Spoilage can be of concern on those rare occasions when the fermentation does not start as planned, but if the fermentation takes off in a timely manner, spoilage is of no issue. The activity from the wine making fermentation will easily protect the must by stifling the growth of any unwanted organisms.

So, What Should You Do?
While we do recommend using a thin, clean towel to cover the fermenter during the primary fermentation and nothing more, if you are concerned about your fermentation not starting there is a compromising method you could follow:

When you first pitch the yeast into the must, put an air-lock on the fermenter. After a few hours, once you see that the fermentation has begun--indicated by activity or foam on the surface--you can then take the air-lock off and safely allow air to get to the must. This is, in a sense, giving you the best of both worlds--the protection and an invigorated wine making fermentation.

As A Side Note:
It is important to note that an air-lock should always be used after the must has gone into its secondary fermentation. This usually starts around the fifth or sixth day, or when the first racking is performed. It is about this time you will notice the fermentation's activity level starting to taper off.

We are very happy to announce that we have added Heron Bay wine making ingredient kits to are current selection of wine making juices.

Heron Bay makes wonderful kits from grapes grown in California, Italy, Australia and Chile.

They have two different brands of kits that you can purchase:

-- Heron Bay Premium 8 liter kits (24 different varieties)

-- Heron Bay Ultra Premium 16 liter kits (15 different varieties)

Each kit comes with all the wine making ingredients to you will need to make 6 gallons (30 bottles) of wine. The wine yeast, clarifiers, stabilizers are all included. All you need is water.

It also comes with very clear, easy to understand, directions that will make sure you don't get lost and your wine comes out better than imagined.

Dear E. C. Kraus

I am looking to purchase wine bottles for the first time, the (GL220) wine bottle. Your wine making information on the bottle does not give any information on if you are supposed to use a #7or #8 cork for this wine bottle, or is there a standard wine bottle opening? Also do you carry the tools to insert the cork into the wine bottle?  

Dan R.
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Dear Dan R.

Fortunately for home winemakers, the wine making industry has long-ago settled on a standard opening for the regular-sized 750ml wine bottle--what also used to be called fifths. All of these wine bottles have the same standard size opening of 3/4 inch.

The same holds true for all the 750ml's wine bottles we offer. The only exceptions are the screw cap finish wine bottles and the champagne bottles we carry, both of which are not designed to take a cork of any kind anyway.

The commercial wine making industry uses size #9 straight cork which is 15/16 inches in diameter for these openings. This size of a cork does require a wine making corker to insert them. Any of the wine making corkers we offer will put them in just fine, however there are some inferior corker models out on the market that will have trouble putting the full-size #9 corks. So beware. If you have one of these corkers, then you may need to go to a size #8 straight cork instead of size #9.

For more information on this subject you may want to take a look at "Corking Your Wine Bottles" which is listed on our web site.

Best Wishes,
Customer Service at E. C. Kraus

Dear E. C. Kraus,

I am a first time winemaker. I am interested in buying a wine making kit that will include the necessary equipment and I noticed your California Connoisseur kit. However, I would like to have a higher quality juice such as your Legacy brand. Is it possible to order the equipment kit and the wine making juice separately or substitute the higher quality juice as an option?

Peter
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Dear Peter,

The equipment that comes in our California Connoisseur Necessities Box will work perfectly with any of our boxed wine making ingredient kits. So, yes, you can substitute any of them with this wine making kit including the Legacy brand you mentioned.

On the product detail page of the juice you want, scroll down and you will see an area asking, "Need the Equipment Too?" There is a link for the 6 Gallon Wine Equipment Kit. This kit has all the same equipment as the California Connoisseur Necessities Box. It just doesn't have the juice.

Just simply add the Equipment Kit to your shopping cart along with the juice you want and place your order.

Best Wishes,
Customer Service at E.C. Kraus

Dear Mr. Kraus

I am hoping you can help me. I am looking for replacement wine corks to be used after a bottle of wine has been opened. I prefer to have corks that measure about 1" across the top and taper down for easy use. If you do not sell such an item, can you recommend a company that does sell such a product.

Thank you.
Joyce
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Dear Joyce,

We have three different items that would work for this purpose. We have reusable wine bottle stoppers, mushroom corks as well as tapered corks such as what you described above.

All three of these closures are adequate for sealing a bottle of wine for a day or so, however one thing that none of these items will do is protect the wine from the air that is also inside the bottle during these times of partial consumption.

Air mixed in the bottle with the wine causes the wine to take on stale characteristics through a process of oxidation. The first thing that is noticed from oxidation is that any of the wine's fruitiness will start to subside, then later, any layered complexities in the wine will begin to fade resulting in a wine that is one dimensional and less pleasant.

If given enough time the wine will start turning in color to a amber or orange depending on the type of wine, and all this can occur even if the wine is being refrigerated.

For all these reasons I would suggest that you invest in a Vacuvin Wine Saver. This item allows you to keep your wine fresh for weeks, in or out of the refrigerator. It does so by pumping the air out of the bottle creating a vacuum seal with a stopper that has a special one-way valve. You just pump it a few time and pull the pump from the stopper and it's sealed.

Best Wishes,
Customer Service at E. C. Kraus

What can I do to make my wine a little heavier in taste. Some times it taste and feels light. Can anything be added or is it the grapes used for the juice.

Thank you
Paul
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Any wine that feels thin can be corrected by adding something called glycerine, also known as glycerin, glyceritol and glycyl alcohol.

Glycerin is a natural by-product of any fermentation. It is what causes the legs or tears on the inside of a wine glass when

when the glass is swirled.

By increasing the amount of glycerine in a wine you are increasing its mouth-feel which in turn gives the impression that the wine has more body. Another way of describing its effect on a wine is to think of the difference between drinking whole milk and skim milk.

A typical dose would be 1 or 2 tablespoons per gallon of wine. The maximum dose that would be recommended is 4 tablespoons per gallon which also equals 1/4 cup. Using more that this could have a negative effect on the wine. Wines with too much glycerine are described as fleshy, chewy or even meaty.

Best Wishes,
E. C. Kraus

Hi,

I've been reading about bentonite fining and would like to know what the down side of using this stuff is ??

I understand what it does, but was thinking - if there is no down side then I should use it in every wine I make. what is your response to that, please!

Steven
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Dear Steven,

Bentonite is routinely used by commercial wineries right after the fermentation as way to speed up the settling of the yeast. It is used at this time because it is effective for taking out large amounts of solids fairly quickly, but it is not very effective for putting a final polish on the wine or getting the last bit of solids out. Other finings may be used later for this purpose if needed.

Bentonite will not only take the yeast out, but it will also take some other protein based particles such as tannin and color pigmentation. For this reason one must be careful not to use more than is necessary to get the job done. Using too much bentonite can result in a noticeable decrease in body, color and character of the wine.

The bentonite we sell as Speedy Bentonite comes with detailed directions and a recommended dosage that is considered conservative. If these directions are followed your wine will not be negatively effect.

So in short, yes you can use bentonite in all your wines just be aware that there are limitations to its dosage.

Best Wishes,
Customer Service at E. C. Kraus

With all the wine making kits we offer it's understandable that it can be difficult to choose the right one for your next wine making project. We currently have a list of over 200 different wine making juices to choose from, and the list continues to grow.

With that said, we have a special feature on our web site to help you make your next selection. It's called the "Wine Selector". This tool allows you to drill down your choices of wine making kit by selecting characteristics you would like your wine to have.

For example you can start out by choosing whether you would like to make a red, white, blush or fruit wine. After that you can select characteristics by body, complexity, bouquet, etc. Give it try and see what you think.

Dear E. C. Kraus,

I was looking at your web site and came across the sodium bisulfite. I know it's an 8 oz jar but how many gallons of wine can be used with this? Before I order the product I need to know how many gallons I can use it for so I know how many to order.

Thank you.
Angela
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Dear Angela,

There is approximately 31 teaspoons of sodium bisulfite in each 8 oz. jar. This is also equal to about 500 Campden tablets.

The sodium bisulfite can be used for two purposes. It can be added directly to the wine in small amounts as a preservative. It can also be added in larger amount to water to produce a sanitizing solution for equipment and such.

When adding sodium bisulfite directly to a wine or must you use 1/16 of a teaspoon for each gallon, or to put it another way, you use 1 teaspoon for each 16 gallons of wine or must. At this dose one jar can treat approximately 500 gallons.

When using the sodium bisulfite as a sanitizer with water you use 1 teaspoon for each gallon. At this dose there is enough sodium bisulfite to make 31 gallons of sanitizing solution. It is also recommended that either Acid Blend or citric acid be added to the sanitizing solution at half the rate of the sodium bisulfite to accelerate the release of the sulfurs.

Also realize that our sodium bisulfite comes with detailed directions that explains all this as well.

Best Wishes,
Customer Service at E. C. Kraus

This is a question we get from time to time that has no single, correct answer. This is for three reasons: 1) everyones' tastes are different, 2) how the wine is stored during the aging makes a difference as well, and 3) certain varieties will take advantage of aging more so than others.

Dear E. C. Kraus

I am interested in purchasing the Vinterra Amarone concentrate. After the initial 6 week waiting time, is it drinkable, or should I let the wine age longer before drinking, and how long will it age for?

Joe
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Dear Joe,

The wine will be drinkable at bottling time (6 weeks) but will continue to improve with aging. It is important to realize that most wine varieties will improve remarkably over the first 30 to 60 days and marginally so every month thereafter. Having said this, there will come a point in any wine's life where its quality will peak.

The producers of the Vinterra Amarone recommend that the wine be aged at least for 2 month before consumption is started. They also suggest that any aging beyond 30 months is of no value to the wine.

Best Wishes,
Customer Service at E. C. Kraus
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This chart below lists the recommended aging period for each brand of wine ingredient kit we carry. Please realize that this chart represents guidelines for aging. Your wine could need more or less aging depending on how it is being stored. For more information on this subject you may want to take a look at the article "Wine Bottle Storage and Temperature" listed on our website.

RECOMMENDED AGING TIMES:

Tuscany is a region located just northwest of Rome. Its rolling hills and majestic olive groves offer as a dramatic back-setting for wine-rich towns such as Florence and Siena.

If you have never had a Super Tuscan wine then you are definitely missing out on a wonderful experience. Even

One of the great things about making your own wine is that you get to make it the way you want it. John sent us an email because he didn't like how dry his wine was turning out.

Dear E. C. Kraus,

I have a mustang grape wine that has been aging in a carboy, and last night I tried and it has a hydrometer reading of .900, just under 1. When I tasted it it was a little on the dry side for me. How can I sweeten up this wine to a semi sweet?

John
_____

Dear John,

It is important to understand that you do not want to adjust the sweetness of a wine until it has completely cleared up and is ready to bottle, so make sure the wine is ready to be bottled first.

At bottling time you can sweeten the wine to taste. You can use Wine Conditioner which is a sweetener and stabilizer combined. The stabilizer makes sure that your wine does not start to ferment the new sugars while in the bottle.

You can use your own sugar, honey, etc. to sweeten your wine, but you will also need to add a Wine Stabilizer separately to eliminate any chance of refermentation.

When sweetening a wine it is best to take a measured sample of the wine, one gallon for example, and add measured amounts of sweetener to it to establish a dosage to your liking. Once the dosage is determined you can then do the same thing to the rest of the batch. This insures that you do not get the entire batch too sweet. If the sample gets too sweet, just blend it back into the rest of the batch and start all over.

We also have an article on our website, "Making Sweet Wines", that will have more information on this subject. You may want to take a look at it as well.

Best Wishes,
Customer Service at E.C. Kraus

If you are not sure whether you want to make wine from can concentrate or fresh fruit, you can do both by making a few additions to our SunCal Necessities Box. This email is showing Ron in Ohio just what needs to be added.

Hello

I am considering purchasing the SunCal wine making kit. Can I use this kit to make

wine from home grown fruits, or do I have to stick with SunCal products? I am excited about starting my own home wine production, but I don't want to buy a starter kit that would limit my options.

Regards
Ron in Ohio
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Dear Ron,

You can use the SunCal kit for your own fruit. You will need to purchase some additional items, but not much.

A couple of ingredients that are not in the SunCal kit but are called for in a lot of fruit wine recipes are Pectic Enzyme and Yeast Energizer so you will need to get these two items. Pectic Enzyme helps to break down the fiber of the fruit so that more flavor with extract from it during the primary fermentation. Yeast Energizer is sometimes call for when making wines that are lacking in nutrients naturally.

We would also recommend getting a Fermentation Bag to help you manage the pulp that comes along with dealing with fresh fruit. It is a large nylon mesh that has a drawstring. You just keep the pulp in the bag during the primary fermentation. This comes in real handy when it comes time to remove the pulp.

Best Wishes,
Customer Service at E.C. Kraus

Hello Kraus,

Is there any device you sell to measure the alcohol content in my wine?

James
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Dear James,

Measuring the alcohol content of a finished wine is not simple task to accomplish. A winery does so by determining the boiling point of the finished wine, something that requires elaborate laboratory equipment to accomplish accurately. Home winemakers can use what is called a vinometer such as

There is a great spread of prices between our different brands of wine making juices. Some are in the $30 range while some are over $200. Many of our customers simply wonder why.

There are a couple of reasons for this:

1. Level Of Concentration:
The first reason has to do with the level of concentration that is applied to the wine juice. At one end of the spectrum is our SunCal brand juice that comes in a 46

ounce can (about 1-1/2 quarts) for producing 5 gallons of wine. On the other end of the spectrum is our Vinterra juice that is not concentrated at all and producing 6 gallons. Both represent around the same amount of grapes. One is just more concentrated than the other.

Higher levels of concentration tend to take out some of the finer subtleties of a wine, making the wine more one dimensional. Wine making juices that have been concentrated less or not at all will have flavors that are more complex or layered.

2. The Selection Of Grape
As you go up in price, you are going up in grape selection as well. This is no different than wines you buy commercially at the store. The better the selection of grape the higher the price.

Having Said All This. . .
How much money you'll want to put into the quality of the wine may be different than the next winemaker. This has to do with how well you are able to discern the difference between various levels of quality. It makes no sense for you to buy a level of quality you are unable to taste.

Some of our customers are completely happy making wine from nothing but our SunCal selection, and would not be able to notice any appreciative increase in quality by spending more money for other brands.

Other winemakers consider SunCal an everyday, common wine and would not want to spend their efforts on making such a wine. These winemakers would prefer to spend their time making higher quality wines.

The Bottom Line...
Figure out what level of quality suites your level of wine appreciation. Start out with maybe our California Connoisseur or European Select and then maybe next time try a KenRidge Classic or Showcase and see if you think the extra quality is worth it for you, personally.

Using Campden Tablets or an equivalent at bottling time is important for keeping a wine fresh while in the bottle. The idea is to keep the sulfites from the Campden trapped in the bottle. Here is an email question about this.

Dear E. C. Kraus,

I am reading through your website to learn home wine making and plan to purchase the fruit starter kit. I was reading that campden tablets should be added just before

bottling. Does this mean that you add campden tablets to the must before bottling and then immediately bottle, or do you have to wait for the sulfur gas to escape before bottling?

Thanks!
Brand new to wine making,
Justin
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Dear Justin,

The idea is to keep the sulfur gas trapped in the bottles so that the wine's flavor and color will be preserved. What this means for you is that once the Campden Tablets are dissolved and completely mixed into the wine you will want to bottle right away.

Treating your wine in this way will help to keep it fresh tasting for years to come. This process is no different than what a winery would routinely implement on their wine and results in about 55 part-per-million of sulfur dioxide.

Best Wishes,
Customer Service at E. C. Kraus

The following email asks a question we get all the time by first-time winemakers.

Dear E. C. Kraus,

I have a real dumb question here but then I don't know. After attaching the Air Lock and filling half way with water does the cap for the air lock stay on or does it remain off. Is the cap to keep it free of dirt or is that just when the Air Lock is being stored away.

So sorry to be a pain.

Thanks,
Craig
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Dear Craig,

First of all, this is not a dumb question. We get asked this a lot, so I'm glad you brought it up. Now I can share the answer with other, here on the blog, as well as with you.

As short answer to your question is, "you need to keep the cap on."

Many people don't realize that even with the cap on, the gases can still escape. If you have the Senior Air-Lock the lid has tiny pin-holes in it for this purpose. If you have the S-Shaped Air-Lock the cap has ridges on its inner side that allows the gasses to work its way out. You discover the same scenario regardless of what type of air lock you have.

Best Wishes,
Customer Service at E. C. Kraus

No, the Cork Retriever is not a new breed of hunting dog, but it can be just as nice to have around.

Anyone whose tried to fetch a cork from inside a wine bottle knows what I'm talking about. You try your darndest to uncork the bottle, but neither the corkscrew nor the cork feel obliged to cooperate. Instead of the cork coming out, it ends up going in the bottle.

Not only do you end up with the aggravation of drinking a bottle of wine with a cork floating in it, now you have to figure out how to get the cork out or end up throwing away a perfectly good, reusable, wine bottle.

Whoever said that, "necessity is the mother of invention" was a genius, and the Cork Retriever is just one more piece of evidence supporting their wisdom.

Add Heat-Shrink Capsules to your next order and give your bottles of wine the professional edge they deserve. Heat-Shrinks are available in 9 different colors plus clear. Just choose the one that fits the look that's right for you.

They're very easy to use. Just put them over the neck of the bottle and then dip them in hot water for a few seconds. They magically shrink securely to the shape of the bottle. Directions are included. Within minutes you can have the entire batch of wine bottles lookin' like they came straight from the winery.

Heat-Shrink Capsules not only look sharp but they add an additional seal to the bottles as well, and you don't have to worry about corks popping back out while in storage. The Heat-Shrink Capsule keeps the corks in place. It's a great deal all the way around.

Each color comes in a box of 50. That's enough of 10 gallons of wine, or you can purchase our Sampler Pack if you're not sure which color you like best.

Hello Wine People,

I am interested in making Merlot wine.

I have found all your kits for this, but don't quite understand how it is used.

Can you turn any fruit juice into a merlot with these kits?

Do you mix the contents of the kit with the particular type of merlot you wish to make, like blackberry juice - for Blackberry merlot or even cherry juice for cherry merlot.

Thank you for any information you can provide.

Thank you,
Nancy
_____

Dear Nancy,

Merlot wine is made from Merlot grapes. The same holds true for many other wines you may see on the store shelf: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Zinfandel. These wines are made primarily from the grape after which they are named. These wines are known as "varietals".

Lower priced concentrates might only specify which continent the grapes came from. These concentrates would be appropriate for making everyday drinking wines. Higher priced concentrates can be as specific as the particular growing region within a country. These concentrates make fabulous wines with characters representative of that region. This is known as a wine's "terroir".

I hope this helps you out.

Best Wishes,
Customer Service at E. C. Kraus

Dear E. C. Kraus,

I have an issue with your description of Potassium Sorbate that uses the word "inhibit". I have looked this word up in the Merrian-Webster dictionary. The first listing says that 'inhibit' means to stop. The second says that 'inhibit' means to hold in check.

When I drive freeways I frequently use the cruise control. Although this will hold the speed in check, I would never believe

that it will work every time. Holding in check in my mind is not a guarantee of much.

Does anyone really know the story?

Tom
_____

Dear Tom,

Potassium Sorbate is not used to "stop" a fermentation. The second definition of inhibit is the most accurate, "to hold in check", but let's forget about the definitions for now and let me try to explain what Potassium Sorbate is actually doing.

When it comes time to bottle your wine, no matter how may times the wine has been racked or how crystal clear the wine may be, there are still some yeast cells in the wine. Even if you filter your wine with a pressurized filter of sorts there are still some residual yeast cells that remain. It may be just a few and not the billions and billions of cells that are associated with a full-fledged fermentation, but there are enough to cause a potential problem if the environmental conditions of the wine are right.

Usually these cells have gone dormant. As time goes on a portion of the cells will begin to reproduce themselves through a process of "budding". But other than that the yeast just lay there quietly perpetuating themselves through natural reproduction. Some of the cells will eventually get too old and die a natural death, but by then it's usually to late. The yeast have already produced new generations of themselves. This regenerating process can go on for months.

This perpetuation through reproduction is not a problem in of itself. It doesn't effect the wine in any significant way like a fermentation does and usually the numbers are so small as to never be detected.

It's only when the environment of the wine changes in a way that allows the yeast to ferment that there becomes a problem. Exposure to new oxygen during bottling would be an example of this, or bringing a bottle of wine out of cool storage to warmer room temperatures would be another. When such things happen there is always a chance for a renewed fermentation.

Potassium Sorbate stops the yeast from reproducing itself so that it can not perpetuate itself indefinitely on into the future. It does not kill the yeast, but rather Potassium Sorbate puts a coating on each yeast cell so reproduction can not occur.

The only problem is that the yeast that are currently living in your wine will continue to do so until they decide to die of natural causes--old age. The colony will slowly die. How long it takes for the entire colony is dependent on how large the colony is. In most cases it takes days, but it can take weeks. It is not until the current generation dies that the chance of re-fermentation can be completely eliminated.

So when we say "inhibits" what we are really saying is that the yeast will not be able to re-grow its colony back into larger numbers like it normally would if Potassium Sorbate was not present. But having said this, it is important to understand that the cells that are there in small numbers can certainly nibble away at enough of the sugars before they die to cause a problem if the conditions are right.

I hope this helps you out.

Best Wishes,
Customer Service at E. C. Kraus

Dear Kraus Folks,

As a diabetic I am able (and encouraged) to drink the "dry" red wines and have no problem with the selection of varietals that I'd like to try in your kits. What varieties of the whites (without additional sweetening) are available? I noticed that some of the wines contain additional sweetening packets but as I am restricted from using such - what might I enjoy or which contain additional sweetening so that I may avoid them?

Thanks,
CJ
____

Dear CJ,

How about we just go ahead and give you the complete run-down of both red and white wines?

Currently the kits that come with sweetening packs are:

All of the Niagara Mist kits
KenRidge Classic IceVine White
KenRidge Class IceVine Red
KenRidge Classic Port
KenRidge Classic Sherry
KenRidge Classic White Zinfandel
Legacy White Zinfandel
Legacy Riesling
Legacy Piesporter
Legacy Liebfraumilch
Legacy Gewurztraminer
KenRidge Showcase German Gewurztraminer
KenRidge Founders German Riesling

All of the other kits do not come with sweetening packs and will end up fairly dry when following the directions.

Best Wishes,
Customer Service at E.C. Kraus

Just a quick question:

I read that adding oak chips adds body etc. to wine. When in the [winemaking] process should these be added? How much per gallon? What type of wines would this be

recommended? Any fruit wines other than grape?

Your help is greatly appreciated.

Clark
_____

Dear Clark,

Many of the box ingredient kits we offer include either oak chips or oak powder. In these situations you should follow the directions that came with the kit. If the kit came with oak, add it; if the kit did not come with oak, don't add it.

These kits have already been bench-tested many times by the producer. By following the resulting directions you will end up with a wine that has optimal balance.

If you are not using a box ingredient kit then you have some latitude available to you. You may decide that oaking is necessary to get the desired effect you are looking for in a wine, but first you must understand what oaking does.

First and foremost oaking will affect the wine's flavor. It will smooth the rough edges by adding a subtle coconut to vanilla note. It will also add a slight woody-ness to the wine.

The second way oaking affects a wine is by contributing to its clarity and color stability. This is mostly due to the saturation of tannins into the wine from the wood.

As for which wines are candidates for oaking, any red grape wine can potentially benefit. As a very general rule, the more body the red grape wine has, the more likely it will benefit from oaking.

When it comes to white grape wines, you should only consider oaking the heaviest whites such as Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc, however realize as you gain more experience that these rule can easily be broken with great success.

Unless you are using a box ingredient kit, the best time to add oak is after the wine has cleared. Simply pitch in some oak chips and allow the wine to bulk age until satisfactory infusion is achieved.

As a safe starting point, use 2 ounces for every 5 or 6 gallons of red wine. With whites use 1 ounce. Just follow the directions on the package for preparing the chips before adding.

You will need to sample the wine every so often to monitor the intensity of the oak in the wine. Every 2 to 4 weeks is reasonable. One of the biggest risk with oaking is getting the wine too woody, so this is what you will be watching closely.

Once the wine has achieved the desired effect, then you will need to rack the wine off the chips and bottle.

Best Wishes,
Customer Service at E. C. Kraus

Hello EC Kraus;

I have had very good luck with wines of blackberrys and of concentrates and am working on batch 14 and 15,blackberry. Number 14 was racked on june 22. 2nd rack @sg .030. What puzzles me is the up and down sg readings I get since then.

7/5 sg .040
7/30 sg .020
8/3 sg .032
9/5 sg 020
9/18 sg .010
9/24 sg .018

The average temp has been kept at about 70 degrees. I know this is slightly lower than optimum and I expect longer fermentation but can't explain the inconsistent readings. Batch number 15 is acting the same way.

Any help?
Thanks, BOB

_____

Dear Bob,

I certainly can understand why you are befuddled. I will tell you that temperature can not send the hydrometer readings in the wrong direction, at least not to the degree you have indicated. For every 10F you go down in temperature, you will raise the S.G. by about .0015, or 1-1/2 gravity points. So, we can rule out temperature fluctuations as being the Gremlin to your problem.

We have had this scenario come up a handful of times over the years, and each time that it was fully investigated, the reason for the bizarre readings was because of one of three things:

1. Sugar was added by the winemaker during the fermentation without them realizing this would effect the hydrometer readings in such a way. If you add sugar to the must it will increase the Specific Gravity reading.

2. The original sugar that was added did not get dissolved completely and is just kind of hanging towards the bottom of the batch. This means you will get different readings from the same batch depending on where the sample was taken from, or how recently the batch was stirred. I would rack the wine off any sediment at this point and stir it again thoroughly to rule out this possibility.

3. The paper scale inside the hydrometer has been lodged loose and is moving around within the hydrometer. This is the least likely reason for getting strange readings on the hydrometer, but it has happened. The scale inside any hydrometer is tacked into place with a spot of wax on the inside. Sometimes the scale will break away from the wax allowing it to move around within the hydrometer.

A simple test can determine if this is the reason for your puzzling readings. Float the hydrometer in water. You should get a Specific Gravity reading of 1.000. If you do not then the mystery has been solved.

Best Wishes,
Customer Service at E. C. Kraus

Hello E. C. Kraus,

Does your company have a wine tester that tests the content of alcohol after the wine is made? That you

can test like in the glass you are drinking?

Please let me know if you do?

Thanks Julie
_____

Dear Julie,

We do carry one item that can do what you are asking. It is called a Vinometer. It's designed to tell you what the alcohol level of a wine is with only a small sample.

It is reasonably accurate with dryer wines, but only marginally accurate with wines that have residual sugars in them. The more sugars there are in a wine, the more it will shift the reading downwards. So if you like to drink sweet wines, it will be of little value to you.

Using the Vinometer is very simple and very quick. All you do is put some of the wine into the cup of the Vinometer. We're talking maybe one or two thimble's worth of wine. The wine will slowly make its way through a small channel, called a capillary, to the other end of the Vinometer.

Once 3 or 4 drops come out the other end, turn the Vinometer completely upside-down. Wine will fall out of the cup and some of the wine in the capillary will fall out as well, but some of the wine will stay in the capillary due to the surface tension of the liquid. How much depends on the alcohol level of the wine.

Once you have dumped the wine read the scale on the side of the Vinometer against the wine that is still remaining in the capillary. The reading is how much alcohol is in the wine.

Best Wishes,
Customer Service at E. C. Kraus

Dear Sirs,

I have a couple of questions about the clarifier bentonite. I currently use the clarifier with the brand name sparkolloid, supposedly this product works because the sparkolloid has a positive static charge and attaches to free floating particles and sinks them to the bottom.

I have heard that bentonite works on the same principle only instead of a positive static charge it has a negative charge and when used in conjunction with the sparkolloid has a increased effect.

Is this true? If so, should one product be used first? Which one? What sort of time line should I use for adding the products?

Thank You,
David
_____

Dear David,

What you state is correct. Bentonite has a negative charge and Sparkolloid has a positive charge. Each can be used to complement the other when it comes to the business of attracting and dropping out particles.

It is not uncommon for a commercial winery to use bentonite on a wine shortly after it has finished fermenting and then follow it up later with a Sparkolloid treatment. This one-two approach to clarification has proven to be a very productive way to bring a high polish to a wine's appearance.

It's important to remember however, that most suspended particle you typically find in a wine will have a positive charge. Yeast, tannin and other proteins all have a positive charge. This makes bentonite the most effective fining agent to use in the majority of situations.

Most home winemakers are perfectly content to use the bentonite by itself. It does a fantastic job of dropping out the yeast cells and other remnant particles left over from the fermentation.

Sparkolloid can be used instead of bentonite on a wine that has already mostly cleared on its own. The Sparkolloid will add a luster to the wine's appearance. This makes it a prime candidate to be used on its own with white or blush wines.

Best Wishes,
Customer Service at E. C. Kraus

Through the course of our daily lives, while we bake a pie, while we make ourselves a mixed drink, or even while we're mixing up a batch lemon-Aid for the kids, we think of sour as being the opposite of sweet. If something's not being sour, then it's being sweet; either the lemon-aid is too sweet, or the lemon-aid is too sour. "Oh my, the Whiskey Sour you made me is too sour. Add a little more sugar to make it sweeter, please".

Sometimes we use the word "tart" in the place of "sour", but it's really the same thing. "This lemon pie is too tart. We should have used more sugar". And there's other words like sharp, acidic, vinegary that we all take to mean basically the same thing.

So we've got all these words, the too: sour, tart, sharp, whatever, that represent to us the

opposite of sweet, and whenever something taste like one of these words we've been taught to add sugar to it. It's been put in all of our heads that way. It's the way we've been taught to think about sweet and sour all of our lives, all the way back to when we were sitting in our high-chair spitting up applesauce.

Now flash-forward a few decades. You've made a batch of cherry wine. It's a beautiful ruby-red color. It looks incredible. You decide to take a sip to see how it tastes only to discover that your creation is too "tart". So what should you do? Why not add more sugar? It's the opposite of "tart". That should fix it, right?.... Wrong!

It's easy to understand how someone could get the idea to add sugar in this situation, but it's not the correct thing to do. And, here's the real shocker, sour, tart, sharp, acidic, vinegary, and any other puckering adjective you can think of is "not" the opposite of sweet. Sweet has no opposite flavor, no more so than the color "red" has an opposite color. It's just a flavor just like red is a color.

If you keep adding sugar to something that's sour, all you will end up with is something that tastes both sweet and sour. Sweet does not take away sour. Sweet does not diminish sour's capacity to be sour in any way. Chinese restaurants have taken this knowledge to develop something called sweet & sour sauce. Need I say more?

So back to the cherry wine. It's too tart, what should you do? If you add sugar to it, it will develop a sweetness, but it will also still be just as tart as before. The only solution is to reduce the amount of acid in the wine. After all, that's what's making it tart.

As a home winemaker you have at your disposal an easy way to remove excess acid from a wine. The acid can be neutralized and settled out, much like what we do to ourselves when we take antacids, except with wine we use something called Potassium Bicarbonate not Tums or Rolaids. We offer it on our website as Acid Reducing Crystals. By adding these crystals to your wine you can lower it's tartness to any level you desire.

The Acid Reducing Crystals work hand-in-hand with our Acid Testing Kit. The Acid Testing Kit measures the level of acidity in your wine. It also comes with directions that tell you what level your wine should be to taste right. The Acid Reducing Crystals come with directions as well that tell you how much to add to the wine to get from one acidity level to another. So between both items you can control the tartness of the wine perfectly.

To sum up, don't think of "sweet" as being the savior of "sour". Think of sweet on its own merits. For a wine to taste its best to you it may need to be sweetened, but don't automatically add sugar to a wine because it's too tart. If the wine is too tart, think in terms of acid reduction as a solution.

For years we have been trying to find a fruit crusher that would really fit the needs of the the home winemaker: one that was not over-sized, one that did not require a lot of clean up, and one that would be able to handle the variety of fruits that the typical home winemaker runs across.

Our search for the most part was nothing but one big disappointment after another. The biggest problem was that nobody made a fruit crusher

that was small enough. They were all way too big for the individual winemaker.

But all that changed when we found this little gem. It's perfect for the country winemaker who wants to make 5, 10, say maybe 30 gallons of wine at a time. It can crush 80 to 100 pounds of fruit per hour with just moderate, manual hand-cranking.

Doesn't matter if it's blackberries or apples. The Wooden Fruit Crusher will burst, bust, meal... whatever it takes to get the fruit past the pulverizing rollers and ready for pressing.

If you think I sound excited, you're right! I'm excited because I know that this is the crusher that will make a lot of home winemakers very happy. No more crushing by-hand, using potato mashers or whatever other time-consuming method are going on.

Hello,

I have been told that a refractometer works real nice to check the alcohol content in the must and also at the end is this true?

Gary
_____

Dear Gary,

A refractometer will not test the alcohol level. It will only test the sugar level of the must or wine at any given time. This is no different than what a hydrometer can do.

By comparing two sugar level readings, one taken before fermentation and the other after, you can determine how much alcohol was made by the yeast. Yeast consume sugar and turn it into CO2 gas and alcohol. If you know how much sugar was consumed by the yeast, then you can determine how much alcohol the yeast made.

What makes the refractometer extremely useful is that you can take accurate sugar readings with very small samples, just a couple of drops. This makes it ideal for checking the ripeness of the grapes while out in the vineyard. It also is handy when you need to take a quick reading during pressings or before and after fermentation.

On the other hand the hydrometer needs enough sample for it to float. This could take as much as 4 or 5 ounces of wine or must. A hydrometer jar is also needed to hold the sample. So as you can see more time and effort is involved to take a reading with a hydrometer.

Best Wishes,
Customer Service at E. C. Kraus

Dear Mr. Kraus,

We bottled 120 gal of wine and now how do we care for the barrels until the fall? Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Thank you.
Glen
_____

Dear Glen,

Once a wine barrel has been used it should always be kept full of liquid, whether it be with wine or water. Allowing the barrel to remain empty while not in use will cause the wood to dry out and shrink.

When wine is put back in the barrel it will swell up again, but this cycle of shrinking and expanding can potentially cause permanent leaks in the barrel. Putting the wood through these continuous changes will also accelerate its deterioration.

When you are between batches of wine just fill the barrel completely with water. You must also put in the water a mixture of Citric Acid and Sodium Bisulfite to eliminate the potential growth of contaminants in the barrel. For a 50 gallon barrel you would use 1/2 pound of Citric Acid and 1 pound of Sodium Bisulfite. For smaller barrels you would adjust the dosage accordingly.

It is important to keep the water topped-up. Every month or two the bung should be removed and and water added to replace any that has been lost through evaporation. We also recommend replenishing the Sodium Bisulfite every six months by adding half the original dosage. You do not need to add more citric acid.

You may also want to look over our "Barrel Sterilizing Kit Directions" on our website. It goes into a little more detail about caring for a barrel in general.

Hope this helps you out.

Best Wishes,
Customer Service at E. C. Kraus

Dear Kraus,

My husband asked me to write you and ask about which kit he should get to make wine with. He does not really know the difference between them and would like you to advise on how to get started.

Thanking you in advance
Brenda
_____

Dear Brenda,

We offer 3 different starter kits for making wine. We refer to them as Necessity Boxes because that's what they really are: a collection of the necessities you will need to start making wine. The equipment in these kits are the same quality items we would sell to you individually anyway, only this way they are packaged together at a reduced price.

"Your Fruit"
Necessities Box

SunCal
Necessities Box

Each of these three kits are designed with simplicity in mind. They give you exactly what you need to get the task at hand done whether it be making wine from fresh fruits or from concentrated juices.

You can find more information about these three starter kits on our website.

Best Wishes,
Customer Service at E. C. Kraus

Niagara Mist already has a sensational selection of winemaking concentrates for the home winemaker. Now they've added two new great flavors: BluePom White Merlot and Sangria Zinfandel Blush.

BLUEPOM WHITE MERLOT
This hot, exotic new blush wine combines the rich aromas and berry flavors of the Merlot grape with the tangy Blueberry and tart Pomegranate. The resulting wine is an eruption of sweet and juicy flavors that leaves you wanting more.

SANGRIA ZINFANDEL BLUSH
This sweet and easy drinking summertime wine is a medley of fruits blended with the jammy flavors of the Zinfandel grape. Your nose will be enlightened by scents of orange, lemon and lime that marries with the flavors of berries and cherries on the tongue. A sensational sipper with well balanced sweet, fruity flavors! A great brunch beverage!

Niagara Mist wine kits make uniquely refreshing wine beverages with a bold splash of fruit. Niagara Mist combines famous wine varietals with sassy fruit flavors. Delightfully light and refreshing combinations that are perfect for any occasion. Ready in as little as 28 days.

Fruit season is quickly coming upon us. You may want to consider stocking up on some basic winemaking ingredients. By having just 7 essential ingredients on hand you will be prepared to make any of the wines that are listed on our wine recipe page. Everything from raspberry to rhubarb. So stock up now and be ready for when a fruit windfall comes your way.

Dear Mr. Kraus,

Did not receive any instructions with Bottle Sealing Wax . What is the best method to melt the wax granules. Have never used wax before. Do you sell some type of melter. If you would please let me know how to use.

Thanks,
Sammy L.
_____

Dear Sammy,

We recommend melting the wax in a soup can or something similar. Sit the can in a pan of water to make sort of a double boiler on the stove. Once the wax is melted it will be in that container permanently, so don't actually put the wax in any good pots or pans themselves.

Hello Kraus,

I was looking at the County Fair Fruit Bases, and am confused at how many cans it takes to make a batch. It says it takes one to four cans. How do I know how many cans I need to make a good batch?

Thanks Wendy
_____

Dear Wendy,

The first thing I would like to point out is that the number of cans you use to make a 5 gallon batch is not a question of quality, or good or bad. It's a question of style. A real question to ask yourself here is, "what style do you like"?

As you increase the number of cans in a batch what you are really doing is increasing the body and intensity of the resulting wine. Body is the thickness or the mouth-feel of the wine. To put an analogy to it, it's the difference between skim milk and whole milk.

If you use just one can of County Fair to a 5 gallon batch, you will be making a light-bodied wine. It will have a crisp, refreshing character, a nice quenching wine to drink during the warm summer months. At the other end of the scale is the four can batch. This wine will be very full and aggressive. A rich, hardy wine with lingering flavors that will be able to stand up to any meal.

There are a couple of other issues that should be noted here as well:

-- Four cans will not make a wine that is twice as strong as two cans. Because of the way us humans perceive things, there is a factor of diminishing returns. As you go up in the number of cans you are only marginally increasing the fullness of the wine, so it would be incorrect to expect that a wine made with four cans would be four times as strong as a wine made with one can.

-- The more cans you use, the more aging the wine will require. Typically, a one can wine will completely age out in 3 to 6 months. A four can wine may take up to 2 years to reach its best. That is not to say that it won't be enjoyable before this time, that's just how long it may take before it stops mellowing.

Best Wishes
Customer Service at E. C. Kraus

Dear E C Kraus,

Before i launch these questions at you, i wanted to thank you for your excellent customer support. It is very helpful.

i wanted to add some toasted French oak chips to my red wines. i understand it varies with individual taste, but on the average how many packages do i need per 6 gallon container? Your catalog sells 4 oz packages.

Is it better to go with the real chips or how does the Oak Wood Extractive compare to this? Is one better than the other?

Also, i seems to think that oak chips just go with red wine. Is that correct or can/should i add oak chips to my white wines too? Again, thank you so much for your support.

Looking forward to your answers,

Mariette
_____

Dear Mariette,

Thank you for the positive feedback. It's always good to hear that we are doing something right.

These are very good questions. I'll take them one at a time:

Most people will be happy using 2 ounces of oak chips for every 5 or 6 gallons of wine. It can be added any time after the fermentation has completed and the wine has had time to clear. The amount of time to keep the oak chips on the wine does vary, but it is usually somewhere between 2 and 4 months. The general rule of thumb is the "bigger" the wine the more oaking it can benefit from.

Having said this, we always recommend sampling the wine throughout this maturation process. What you do not want to do is over oak the wine. We also recommend boiling the chips before using them. This is to release the excessive tannins that are in fresh oak chips. Doing this will put a less woody, more toasty character in the wine.

Most people would agree that oak chips are a better benefit to the wine than oak extractives, however the oak extractives have an immediate effect on the flavor whereas oak chips take time. This is a big benefit for someone who is ready to bottle their wine now. While you would want to lean towards using oak chips, oak extractives are certainly a viable solution for any wine that has no oak character at all.

Oak chips can be used in any white wine, however traditionally only heavier whites such as Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc are considered for oaking. Unless you are using a wine ingredient kit that provides a pre-tested, specific amount of oak, oaking a white wine can be a treacherous endeavor--the biggest risk being over-oaking. White wines are very delicate and can be easily overcome by the oak. If you do decide to oak a white on your own we recommend using only one ounce per 5 gallons, and definitely monitor the flavor very closely.

Best Wishes,
Customer Service at E. C. Kraus

Now you can create your own professional-looking wine labels and share your wines with pride. These labels can be customized for any type of wine or for any occasion--weddings, birthdays, holidays, etc. It`s a personal touch that makes a grand statement and one that allows you to present your wines with a more attractive look.

You can customize them by

using your computer's word processor and then running them through any sheet-fed printer. You get a total of 28 labels. Seven pages of 4 labels on a standard 8-1/2" by 11" sheet. Each label is pre-gummed and die cut. They adhere very easily to any wine bottle. Just peel and stick. The actual size of each wine label is 4-3/4" by 3-5/8".

You can get more information and see the styles we offer by visiting our website.

We still have in stock a few of the video "Making Wine" on VHS tape. This is the exact same video that we now sell on DVD for $19.95, but only in the VHS cassette tape format. We have lowered the price of this VHS version to only $9.95.

If you've been toying with the idea of making wine at home but are just not sure, this is a great opportunity to learn all about it. It is a great introductory video that clearly shows you how to make wine at home. It covers all the basics, step-by-step, and then goes into some of the finer details. Plenty of information to get you started.

VIEW SAMPLE PREVIEW: Double-click on the picture below with your mouse to preview a sample of the "Making Wine" video.

For more information go to the following link on our website:
http://www.eckraus.com/VD110VHS.html

Hello EC Kraus,

We like sweet wine, I have ordered (KC501) IceVine White twice. We were very happy with it! In the KenRidge Classic what would be the sweetest kit. I,m not fond of strawberries.

Thank You
Darlene
_____

Dear Darlene,

In our KenRidge Classic brand of winemaking juices there are 5 different types that come out sweet: White Zinfandel, Port, Sherry, IceVine Red and also the IceVine White which you have already tried. The reason all these five come out sweet is because each includes a sweet reserve pack that is to be added after the fermentation has completed.

Of these five the sweetest is the IceVine White which has a sugar code of 20. The sugar code of the others is as follows:

18  IceVine Red
8    Port
8    Sherry
2    White Zinfandel

It is important to understand that while all of our wine making kits are pre-designed to come out balanced and true to their commercial counterparts, you can sweeten any wine that you find is too dry for you. This can be done right before bottling. The only requirement is that a stabilizer be added to the wine first. In the case of the KenRidge products this is packet #4.

Just add regular cane sugar to taste. We recommend making a syrup out of if first by heating it with equal parts water. Or, you can use Wine Conditioner which is a combination of fructose and glucose sugars.

Best Wishes,
Customer Service at E. C. Kraus

We are very excited to announce that we have just added a new home wine making DVD video to our website, just in time for the holidays. It is titled "Home Wine Making In Seven Easy Steps!". It is a very well-done production that explains in a clear manner how to make wine at home using fresh fruits.

It's a great gift idea for those friends and family members that keep hittin' you up for some of your homemade wine. You can see a sample preview of the DVD on our website. Just type VD150 in the search field and it will take you right to it.

This DVD is over an hour long. It breaks the wine making process down into seven bite-size steps. It also gives a basic overview of how to use various pieces of equipment, including the hydrometer. There is also a section that gives tips on how to make better homemade wine.

One of the things that surprises many home winemakers, particularly new ones, is the number of different wine yeast that are available to them. It's not until one starts making wine do they realize that a yeast is just not a "yeast". There are many shades of gray between the character and attributes of one strain against another. Because of this some consideration should be given to the strain that is going to be used.

To help simplify this selection process we have added two yeast profile charts to our website, one chart for the Red Star brand of yeast and one chart for the Lalvin brand of yeast. Each chart can be accessed from each brands detail page. These charts illustrate which strains of yeast should be used with which wines by categorizing them.

These charts are meant to be an additional aid. If you have a recipe that already recommends a particular strain of yeast it is usually best to following that recommendation.

If the type of wine you are making does not fit perfectly into any of the categories then choose the category that you feel would be the closest.

Dear E. C. Kraus,

I am a first time winemaker. I am interested in buying a kit that will include the necessary equipment and I noticed your California Connoisseur kit. However, I would like to have a higher quality juice such as your Legacy brand. Is it possible to order the equipment kit and the juice separately or substitute the higher quality juice as an option?

Peter
_____

Dear Peter,

The equipment that comes in our California Connoisseur Necessities Box will work perfectly with any of our box ingredient kits. So, yes, you can substitute any of them with this kit including the Legacy brand you mentioned. The price of the kit will be adjusted accordingly.

You will need to call us at 1-800-353-1906 during business hours for this option since it is not currently not available on our website.

Best Wishes,
Customer Service at E.C. Kraus

We hear it all the time, "I can't drink wines with sulfites because I'm allergic to them. They give me a headache". Not so fast. Research has all but debunked the sulfite/allergy connection. Here is a great article I ran across while surfing around the net, "Red Wine Headache."

No one is doubting that some people do get headaches when drinking wine, but the reason as to "why" is still not clear. However, one thing is certain. It is highly unlikely that sulfites are the cause.