I'm new to winemaking--Just got a kit for Christmas and am attempting to make a Cabernet Sauvignon from a juice kit. I started the kit a few days after Christmas and have been following all the instructions pretty closely, except that I've been letting it sit a little longer between steps because my wine is sitting in my basement, which is about 55-60 degrees F. My hydrometer readings have seemed pretty spot on before proceeding to each step (although I'm still trying to figure out exactly how to read the hydrometer!). About three weeks ago I stirred it to degas it and then added the clearing agent. I just took a little wine out and it seems pretty clear--I could see through it in a glass when I held it up to the light. But my concern is that it's fully degassed. I tasted the wine that I had extracted and it tasted slightly carbonated. I'm also a little concerned that it's fully fermented, since it's so cold in my basement. I never really saw bubbles in the wine throughout this entire process.
So my questions are:
How do I know if the wine is fully degassed?
Can I stir it again to degas it further even though it's already cleared?
Is it possible that after two months my wine isn't fermented because it's been in a colder environment? Should I let it sit longer to make sure it's fermented? Is there any length of time that's TOO long to leave it sitting in the carboy before bottling?
Please help! Thank you!
So my questions are:
How do I know if the wine is fully degassed?
Can I stir it again to degas it further even though it's already cleared?
Is it possible that after two months my wine isn't fermented because it's been in a colder environment? Should I let it sit longer to make sure it's fermented? Is there any length of time that's TOO long to leave it sitting in the carboy before bottling?
Please help! Thank you!