Proper headspace?

[Specialk1979]

This is my first attempt at making wine. I'm making a Shiraz/Zinfandel from WE, the instructions said not to top off, but is this ok for headspace for two weeks?

Sorry couldn't get the photo to rotate...

 

[dralarms]

If your just starting it it's fine. If that's bulk aging then needs to be topped up to with in 1 inch of the top.

 

[Specialk1979]

This is after fining agents and hopefully degassed....should be ready to bottle in two weeks.. Is this still ok?

 

[sour_grapes]

This is my first attempt at making wine. I'm making a Shiraz/Zinfandel from WE, the instructions said not to top off, but is this ok for headspace for two weeks?

Sorry couldn't get the photo to rotate...

Must be an Australian wine, eh?

 

[grapeman]

When you are first beginning we all have a tendancy to rush everything, including bottling very quickly. If you do bottle in two weeks that space is within what WE wants to see, so you are going by their directions. It will probably be alright. As we get more wine under our belts many of us like to age more in the carboys to prevent sediment from dropping in our bottles and to let the wine age a bit. Doing that, your carboy would want to be topped up to the narrow part of the neck.

 

[dralarms]

Thanks grapeman, I missed the "kit" status.

 

[Specialk1979]

Thanks, I plan on filtering with the mini jet before bottling to help with sediment...what are the other advantages to bulk aging?

 

[JohnT]

For two weeks, a rather short time, you are probably ok but I would top it off just to be safe. I recommend that you top off with a store bought wine that is similar to the one you are making.

Bulk aging is good for a number of reasons. Here are but a few.

1) this gives you a chance to oak your wine
2) you get a more consistant mellowing and development of flavors.
3) as again progresses, sediment is produced. By bulk ageing for, say, 6 months, you will have the opportunity to rack the wine and remove that sediment before the wine is bottled.

I bulk age all of my wines for a minimum of 18 months.

 

[loumik]

Thanks, I plan on filtering with the mini jet before bottling to help with sediment...what are the other advantages to bulk aging?

Filtering is not intended to remove sediment from wine. Wine should be fined or aged to allow sediment to drop-out. If you filter before your wine is clear you will probably just plug your filters and have to change them repeatedly. I usually bulk age all of my wines. Whites, 6-9 months and reds 12-24 depending on the wine.
Good Luck what ever you decide to do.
LOUMIK

 

[Specialk1979]

I intend to rack before filtering in order to leave sediment behind. It is my understanding that filtering will remove leftover yeast (and other particles) so that it will not have a chance to start the fermentation over and therefore produce additional sediment. Is that wrong?

 

[grapeman]

It takes a special sterile filter to remove the yeast cells. A normal filtering will not remove enough yeast to keep it from beginning to ferment again. You need a filter at .45 microns absolute to make it safe(means it removes all matter larger than .45 microns) where a nominal filter that size only removes some of them.

 

[Specialk1979]

So filtering with a mini jet 2.5 micron means I still will have sediment after a few months in the bottle? I'm not against bulk aging, just means I have to drive an hr to the closet brew store to buy another carboy..

 

[jamesngalveston]

If your wine is fermented completely, degassed, and clear, really really clear,
then you really do not have to filter.
I have vacuum type pump with my filter, Used it once..I dont filter any longer.

 

[grapeman]

So filtering with a mini jet 2.5 micron means I still will have sediment after a few months in the bottle? I'm not against bulk aging, just means I have to drive an hr to the closet brew store to buy another carboy..

No it doesn't mean that you will get sediment. It means that it is possible to still get a little, but unlikely. It means that you can't rely on it preventing a renewed fermentation if you sweeten this wine without stabilizing. You mentioned filtering to prevent fermentation in the bottle - that won't work with 2.5 micron.

 

[Specialk1979]

so from doing some more research it seems that it's kind of pointless to filter a red wine. I think what I'll do is return my filter and get the all in one pump that can also assist with degasing with which I struggled with. If I do that and bulk age for two or three months which I know is not nearly long enough for most, it should be better than just filtering and bottling, right? Of course i will add kmeta and top off before storing.