Cherry Wine - super fast fermentation

[Falllingdownwater]

Evening all! My first proper post...
I had a couple of days off this week so I tinkered with some wine. I started a Cherry Wine on Saturday (yeast pitched in on Sunday after 24 hours standing with Campden tablet). On Sunday it had a starting gravity of 1.07. Today we are already at 0.98 (I tested as I was removing the solid fruit).

That seems extremely speedy to me. Granted the bucket was in the airing cupboard which is 22c. For info I used Youngs standard wine yeast.

Recipe:
Just over 1kg frozen cherries
Juice 2 lemons
100g raisins
1lk sugar
1 cup very strong tea

It's still fizzing like mad but i'm wondering if it's worth adding a little more sugar to shoot for a higher ABV or if I should just leave it as is. What would you do?

 

[Dutto]

Very suspicious! Even without a starting volume, from 1.07 to 0.96 in four days? I would wonder if I had misread the hydrometer; which is why I almost always take a photo of it and then calculate the reading. :thumb1:Alternatively, is it possible that you have just fermented out the water that was surrounding the fruit rather than the juices from the fruit itself? The sugars from a kilo of cherries and a 100g of raising should take lot longer to ferment out. :confused1:I think your comment "It's still fizzing like mad ..." is the answer. i.e. It hasn't fermented out and it is still leaching the sugars out of the cherries and the raisins.:thumb1:Personally, before adding any more sugars, I would just leave it alone and wait at least another two weeks, even if I couldn't see any activity in the DJ or the air-lock.:thumb1:Be patient!

 

[Falllingdownwater]

Thanks Dutto. I got the same reading today and it is already clearing! But I will leave it put for a couple of weeks yet. The fizzing has stopped completely. I'm wondering if it's the yeast as I've had a couple of things appear to finish very quickly.

 

[Dutto]

........... I've had a couple of things appear to finish very quickly.

Er .... you married?

Over the years I have seen a few things that have "finished very quickly" and none of them have met with applause ...

... and that includes yeast!:thumb1:Take your time and be patient.:thumb1: