What is the optimal starting specific gravity for wine making?!
I find it useful to read over the details of the yeast selection my supplier carries and determine what yeast works best based on what recipe I'm starting out with. You could either formulate your recipe around what your yeast will do well with, or choose your yeast based on your must characteristics.
Answers: It all depends on the type of yeast you're using and what your target alcohol content and residual sugar content is. Most Champagne yeasts tolerate a very high starting gravity (1.110 and higher) where others don't do so well with that much...osmotic pressure from a high SG can cause some funky off flavors due to stressed yeast.
I find it useful to read over the details of the yeast selection my supplier carries and determine what yeast works best based on what recipe I'm starting out with. You could either formulate your recipe around what your yeast will do well with, or choose your yeast based on your must characteristics.
I usually shoot for about 12% alcohol so 1.090 is my optimum