WineXpert California Trinity White - Top up & Clearing

[cool77]

Hello,

I'm a true beginner that was the first batch I started, California Trinity White.

2 Questions

I lost about 3/4 of a bottle while degassing. Do I really need to top up? I should have asked before, I did not... I clarified 5 days ago.

How can I tell it's clear enough? Instruction says to wait 14 days but I don't want to oxyde the wine due to not topping up.

Thanks for your help, I have been reading this forum for 2 weeks. Wonderful info.

Yves

 

[cimbaliw]

I assume this is a WE kit? If so the new directions say not to top up. I'm not sure how I feel about that but I'm going with it for now with a high end kit. Two other options are to rack it down to a 5 gallon carboy + a 3 or 4L carboy. Or, one of the joeswine "good wines gone bad" threads shows flooding the headspace with nitrogen. At this point I'm still putting my faith in the not topping up instructions but obviously there are good options available.

BC

 

[roger80465]

I see a ring around the top that looks like foam. Is that residual from degassing or could it still be fermenting? What is the SG? How long has it been fermenting?. If it is still giving off CO2, whether via degassing or fermentation, the wine is protected by the layer of CO2. If you plan to bulk age it and it is truly done fermenting and degassing, I would top it up. I have one in clearing stage now and I would top it up with a chardonnay or a pinot grigio if it was going to age a few months. If only a couple weeks, I wouldn't worry about it. Just keep the airlock in place.

 

[cool77]

Start SG 1.090, final SG 0.992. It took 17 days. Then degassing and adding sulphite, sorbate and isinglass. No more bubbling. Yep the ring is from degassing.

I don't plan to bulk age because of this issue... I'll bottle asap. But since it's my first batch how do I know when it's clear enough. WE says to wait 14 days.

What a good forum, answers within minutes!

Thank you!

Yves

 

[LoneStarLori]

I'm on my first kit too. I have a WE kit for Mezza Luna White that I started about the same time. I added the fpac and fining agent on Tuesday and it is much clearer than the picture you show. I did use Super Kleer during stabilizing though and didn't follow their directions to stir in the lees when stabilizing. ( I am doing one of Joewine kit tweaking projects so we did things in a little different order). You can see that thread and the pictures here :
http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f61/almond-wine-9155/index22.html#post448821


If above is a current picture, I would wait. It still looks cloudy from what I can see.
The one I am posting is from this evening. You can clearly see the marbles and even the through the carboy to the wooden shutters 8 ft behind it. I will probably let it go another week to be sure it's settled. I have seen too many horror stories of having to unbottle and cold stabilize to correct premature bottling.

 

[jamesngalveston]

how did you loose so much wine degassing...

You should make sure that your wine is relatively clear before adding sorbate. And if its above 12 percent, no need for sorbate.

 

[cool77]

Yep mine is not as clear.

I like your signature... When I bought my equipment, I as wondering what the hell am i going to do with 5 carboys. 4 are full now after 1 month...

 

[LoneStarLori]

Yep mine is not as clear.

I like your signature... When I bought my equipment, I as wondering what the hell am i going to do with 5 carboys. 4 are full now after 1 month...

Haha.. me too. I have 4 and the only empty one will be filled as soon as UPS gets here.