Final gravity always too high

I am having the same problem with my wine, it is always having a final gravity of around 1.020 to 1.030. I try to start at around 1.090 to 1.10. I primary in plastic buckets and then rack into glass carboys. I use a yeast starter. I can’t figure out what I am doing wrong. Any help greatly appreciated.

thanks.

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Are you measuring final gravity with a hydrometer or refractometer?

Both initial and final with refractometer

Check your FG with a hydrometer. Refractometers don’t read accurately in the presence of alcohol. There are correction calculators for the refractometer reading, but the result will not be as accurate as the hydrometer reading.

Yeah, you’ll need to use a refractometer calculator to determine your corrected final gravity. I bet you’re fine though. Flars is correct that the hydrometer will be more accurate, but whenever I’ve checked my corrected refractometer measurement against a hydrometer it has always been within a couple points. For homebrew purposes, that’s close enough for me. What’s more important is to know you’re at a stable gravity before bottling, and for that it’s ok to use a refractometer. There are plenty of errors you can make with a hydrometer, too, that render your measurement inaccurate.

me use the refracto meter only for orginal reading when i did transfer to the fermentor
second a final reading do use the hydrometer i do get more accurate readings that way

On the off chance that it isn’t refractometer inaccuracy, are you using kits to make wine, or fruit, or grapes?

Reason I ask, is if you make a kit intended for 6 gallons into 5 gallons, it usually doesn’t finish out completely dry.