[nursejohn]

I need help with my Lambrusco! I am doing a batch of Lambrusco (the Domain Tradition). Today is day 6 for this batch. I checked the SG today and it reads 0.992. The instructions say to rack when the SG is 1.040-1. 050. To my question: is something wrong or can I rack now to a carboy and be OK? I hope that I haven't messed up my wine. Any help or advice will be appreciated.

[vcasey]

Everything is fine it just fermented fast - happens a lot. Just move on to the next step.
VC

[Bert]

I would rack now to get it to glass and an airlock.....top it up and check SG. again in a day or two...if hasn't changed move on to step three.....You must have had some good healthly yeast and some warm temps. to get a fast fermentation...

[Wade E]

When making wine you have to check it more often to see where the sg is cause every fermentation will take longer or be shorter due to mant conditions. All will be well though so relax.

[nursejohn]

Thanks for the replies. I racked to a carboy last night. Put the oak chips in as per the instructions, wine sure did smell great! Instructions say to stir daily to enhance the oak flavor. Is that necessary and won't that keep the sediment stirred up? Sorry for all the questions, but I'm learning something new everyday about this winemaking.

[vcasey]

Originally Posted by nursejohn

Instructions say to stir daily to enhance the oak flavor. .

Once I put the wine in the carboy I don't bother - but I'm lazy and unless I've started fermenting in the carboy it usually will sit for a while.
VC

[hannabarn]

The reason the instructions say to stir is that stirring exposes more surface of the oak.

[nursejohn]

I am going to bottle my Lambrusco today or tomorrow hopefully. Just a thought here; if I decide to back sweeten my wine with a simple syrup(2 parts sugar to 1 part water), will the K+ sorbate that is in the kit be enough so that it does not try to referment in the bottles?

[PeterZ]

Should be enough. If you do back sweeten I recommend waiting a week or so before bottling. Additions can sometimes cause a haze to form.

[JWMINNESOTA]

It should be.