Timing of sulfites before bottling

[joeycannoli]

I have two wines that are ready for bottling this weekend. I have a quick question on the timing of adding sulfites before bottling. Can I add the sulfites right before bottling or should i mix them in a day or so before?

Same question with regards to sorbate. One of the wines is a white that stopped fermenting at an SG of 1.002. I want to add sorbate to make sure there is no post fermentation in the bottle.

Any advice would be welcomed!

 

[salcoco]

add sulfite just before bottling same with sorbate

 

[joeycannoli]

Thank you!

 

[Scooter68]

My preference is to add sulfite and sorbate 2 weeks before bottling. Then back-sweeten 1 week after adding sulfite/sorbate and then bottle 1 week later - Just in case something precipitates out as result of the additions. Besides, it's just a few more days after waiting 9-12 months already.

That's just the routine I prefer to use.

 

[cmason1957]

My preference is to add sulfite and sorbate 2 weeks before bottling. Then back-sweeten 1 week after adding sulfite/sorbate and then bottle 1 week later - Just in case something precipitates out as result of the additions. Besides, it's just a few more days after waiting 9-12 months already.

That's just the routine I prefer to use.

This is the same thing I do, but true to my procrastination nature, it sometimes becomes more like a month before bottling. One thing to note, is when kits say add the potassium sorbate, I just ignore that, no need for it, until the wine is totally clear and I am nearly ready to backsweeten.

 

[Scooter68]

Cmason - I agree even though I don't do kits - The reading/research I've done on sorbates suggest that off-tastes 'may' develop over time - So I figure no point in adding sorbate until just before I need it to prevent fermentation restart. Also I've had a few batches that the wife and I decided NOT to back-sweeten and if I'd already sorbated them early on...

 

[wxtrendsguy]

Add sulfites the day before, on the day of bottling check the sulfite levels again and you might be surprised that much of it is bound up already...if so add again to your desired level, actually go 10 ppm higher than your desired level and bottle...that extra 10 will be bound up by O2 that is picked up in the bottle filling process.