I bought a Millennium Sparkling Kit and wanted to know how to make it sweeter and also make it pink color. When im done with the secondary fermentation and have racked and cleared the wine it says to add the priming sugar and then bottle it in Champayne bottles. Would i just add more sugar before bottling?
Answer From Expert Roger Bohmrich MW
I recently answered a similar question from a home winemaker. I do not make wine myself and would recommend you consult someone who does and understands sparkling wines specifically.
To give you background you may find useful, we can reference the Champagne process. When the blend or cuvee of still base wine is prepared, a "liqueur de tirage" is added containing sugar and yeast (and other ingredients), prior to bottling. That preparation follows a precise formula to control the final total alcohol content and presssure (CO2) resulting from the secondary fermentation. Adding more sugar would result in a more alcoholic Champagne with greater pressure (up to the useful lifespan of the yeasts). At the end of the process and after all fermentable sugars have been depleted, Champagne is completely dry. A shipping syrup or "liqueur d'expedition" usually is added after disgorging, and this mixture governs the sweetness of the Champagne we consume. Are you equipped to follow this elaborate procedure at home?
As to achieving a pink or rose color, on the other hand, it is the base wine that is manipulated by skin contact or, more commonly, a red wine addition. That should be easier for you to accomplish. In any case, first consult someone with experience in making sparkling wine at home.
