A. FOR WINES WITH LESS THAN 1% RESIDUAL SUGAR:

        1) Place 10 drops  (0.5 ml) of wine in the test tube.  Hold the test tube over a piece of 
unlined white paper for better visibility. 

        2) Drop one reagent tablet in the test tube.  Watch the reaction to make sure the color change does not pass through the orange color and turn slightly brownish.  If this occurs you have more than 1% residual and will have to follow the secondary procedure in paragraph B below.

        3) If the color does not reach and pass through the orange, wait until the boiling reaction stops, shake the tube and match the colors with the seven-color chart for the Two Drop Method shown on  the Clinitest direction sheet.  

          The actual amount of sugar in the wine is not that which is shown on the Clinitest chart, but the following:               

Color Chart for  2 Drop Method	Amount shown on Clinitest Kit	Actual Sugar in Wine
Blue (color on far left)	Negative	None
Dark Green (2nd from left)	Trace	0.05%
Medium Green (3rd from left)	½ %	0.1%
Light Green (4th from left)	1%	0.2%
Dark Brown (5th from left)	2%	0.4%
Light Orange Brown           (2nd from right)	3%	0.6%
Orange (color slab at right)	5%	1.0%

      4) If you get a color that appears to be between any two of the color slabs you can assume an intermediate value, but be certain that the wine never passed through to the orange color and then to a brown color. If this occurs, or if you are unsure, try the procedure in paragraph B below.

 

 

 

B. FOR WINES CONTAINING FROM 1 TO 5% RESIDUAL SUGAR

       1) Place 2 drops (0.1ml) of wine into the sample tube and add 8 drops (0.4ml) of water.     

       2) Drop one reagent tablet into the tube and watch the reaction to be certain it does not go all 
the way to the orange color.  If it does, you have more than 5% residual sugar and should follow the procedure paragraph C below.

       3) If the color change does not go to and pass through orange, wait until the boiling reaction is finished, then match the color to the color chart for the 2 Drop Method on the Clinitest instructions and read the amounts as shown on the chart.

C. FOR WINES CONTAINING MORE THAN 5% RESIDUAL SUGAR

       1) Add 1 drop (0.05ml) of wine and 9 drops (0.45ml) of water to the test tube and proceed 
as above. If you pass through the orange color and go to a brown you have more than 10% residual sugar and cannot get a measurement with this test.

       2) After the boiling of the chemical action stops match the sample color to the 2 Drop Method
color chart and double the readings on that chart to get the residual sugar level in the wine.  Be aware that your accuracy is greatly reduced when using a single drop of wine for your test.  The result would only indicate an approximate range.

   We have put together our own "kit" in an attempt to reduce cost.  It contains a vial of Clinitest tablets (36) which includes a color chart, a glass test tube 
and a syringe, plus overall instructions.