Stir away! The yeasties need oxygen to eat up all that good sugar and make alcohol plus it will help that oak spread it's good flavor through your wine.
You're doing just fine, mdktkd.
I'm thinking you are the only one who can decide how clean things need to be. I know I'm probably not as careful as I should be but I've never had a problem.
As for your cleaning solution... if you can smell it, it's still potent. Just be careful when you take a whiff to check it. It can be...
Scott, leave it where it is until your specific gravity is what they say it should be before racking it. I hope your "secondary bucket" is either a 6 gallon glass of Better Bottle carboy and not a bucket at all.
Your alcohol content won't change as that is determined by your first specific...
Wade is right about the aging thing. I just followed the directions on mine. The kit easily stands on it's own merit.
PS I'm not sure "beefy" and "chewy" are actual wine descriptors but it's what came to my mind when I tasted it. =)
Welcome, Tommy!
I have this Shiraz in the bottle and it's wonderful... it's chewy, beefy, and delish. It's gotten rave reviews from friends.
http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdDet.asp?PartNumber=AJME033</span>