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**BobF** · 03-19-2012, 02:34 PM

Winemaker Mag had a good article by Tim V. in the latest issue.

According to Tim, kits are made 4% xtra strong to allow for topping up with a quart or so of water later on.

His recommendation is to use water and drink the wine you would have used for topping up.

**KenS** · 03-19-2012, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobF

Winemaker Mag had a good article by Tim V. in the latest issue.

According to Tim, kits are made 4% xtra strong to allow for topping up with a quart or so of water later on.

His recommendation is to use water and drink the wine you would have used for topping up.

Here we go again

**cpfan** · 03-19-2012, 03:33 PM

This is one of those "split decisions" so common to home wine making. Some folks agree with Tim, others think that adding water weakens the wine significantly. And I guess others are in between.

Personally, if the wine needs just a bit of water, then thats what I do. If it needs a lot of water, then I get a bottle of wine to add. What is a bit and what is a lot? Whatever I feel like, I guess.

If you have a modern Italian carboy, you will find that it is a litre or so larger than 23 litres (or 6 US gallons). That pretty much guarantees that you should be adding wine.

Steve

**rjb222** · 03-19-2012, 04:35 PM

There is a lot of misinterpretation in Tims writing on this subject. What Tim is saying when you finish racking the wine can be topped up to the 30 bottle mark not put into a glass carboy and put in enough water to fill that space. You should only have to add about 750 ml or one quart to reach the thirty bottle limit. This is extremely hard to accomplish as we all rack different the measuring devices we use are all slightly different. I personally will add an extra liter of water at the mixing stage I find this is a better way to top up as this is then part of the ferment and the tannins glycerin ETC. are a part of that liquid. When I add water at the end I can always notice it.

robie · 03-19-2012, 04:40 PM

"Split decision" is right!

IMO, red kit wines are already much thinner than their commercial counterparts. If you top off with water they will get even thinner.

**joeswine** · 03-19-2012, 04:50 PM

I agree ,no water ,if you have to reduce the initial volunm, now you have something to top off with of the original product.just mop

**rjb222** · 03-19-2012, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robie

"Split decision" is right!

IMO, red kit wines are already much thinner than their commercial counterparts. If you top off with water they will get even thinner.

The reason is we do not barrel our wines. When properly done barreling wine concentrates flavor , aroma, color, and also gives a wine more viscosity or thickness. This is due to the evaporation process. I have only found one kit series that will come close to commercial wines in viscosity and that is the winery series. I do not top these up at all I only expect to get 26 to 27 bottles per batch with these wines as the skin packs soak up that much liquid. Very sweet and jammy going into the bottle in a years time that marries into the wine and the flavor and aroma explosion in these kits makes the wait worth while.

**RickC** · 03-19-2012, 04:59 PM

No topping up with water for me either.

**JohnnyRico** · 03-19-2012, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickC

No topping up with water for me either.

Did it once, never again.

dmulligan · 03-19-2012, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjb222

I have only found one kit series that will come close to commercial wines in viscosity and that is the winery series. I do not top these up at all I only expect to get 26 to 27 bottles per batch with these wines as the skin packs soak up that much liquid.

How do you avoid oxidation if you do not top up?