2nd Racking

[jnmar]

In thinking about and getting ready to rack my MM Pinot Noir off the lees and oak chips, I look at the amount of sediment in the bottom and wonder how I'm going to get all the wine possible out of there without carrying over the lees and without needlessly leaving some good wine behind.

I have the carboy tilted, using books under the back of the carboy, as much as I am comfortable with. I gently rock it side to side a couple of times a day to hopefully drift as much of the lees down to the low side as is practical. There's a lot, well over an inch of sediment. Again, this will be the first racking after racking from Primary to carboy so it includes Bentonite, oak chips, and whatever else has decided to settle out.

A couple of questions:

1) How long is it advisable to leave it sitting and clearing on the lees? Maybe I should word it a little different...how long would be too long for leaving it on the lees, and what are the consequences for leaving it too long?


2) Is it acceptable to carry over some of the lees with the racking? If so, how much is acceptable? And again, how long is it advisable to leave it before racking again to try to minimize the amount of lees it's on?

Thanks for your help,

Jerry

 

[ibglowin]

Hi Jerry,

For a red like this I would leave it in secondary for approximately 12 days total. Get as much as you can with a good clean racking. Don't worry about what is left. I have found that you can transfer the leftover lees and sediment and wine into a smaller vessel like a 1.5 L bottle or a 750ml bottle and just cork it for a day. After the lees settle once again you can either pour off the wine carefully in one careful motion or stick a smaller tube into the bottle and start a siphon by mouth and then quickly lower the tube as the level drops. This technique obviously works best with a clear bottle. I have found that either method will work very well and will get almost all the leftover wine off the sediment. When you stabilize and fine you will get the rest.

Hope this makes sense!

 

[robie]

Hi Jerry,



For a red like this I would leave it in secondary for approximately 12 days total. Get as much as you can with a good clean racking. Don't worry about what is left. I have found that you can transfer the leftover lees and sediment and wine into a smaller vessel like a 1.5 L bottle or a 750ml bottle and just cork it for a day. After the lees settle once again you can either pour off the wine carefully in one careful motion or stick a smaller tube into the bottle and start a siphon by mouth and then quickly lower the tube as the level drops. This technique obviously works best with a clear bottle. I have found that either method will work very well and will get almost all the leftover wine off the sediment. When you stabilize and fine you will get the rest.



Hope this makes sense!

Good advice for you, Jerry. I pour the bottom sediment into a clear glass jar and seal it. Like Mike said, in a few days, it will settle again and leave one or more inches of clear wine, which you can save off. The jar I use has a large opening, so I can use a meat baster (sanitized) to draw the clean wine off. It is also better if the container is clear, so you can see the sediment line.

I often am able to retrieve a half bottle of wine that otherwise would have been thrown away with the sediment.

Another advantage is you don't have to rack down to the very last drop, trying to get all the wine you can. Instead, when you rack down to what looks like will fill your glass jar/bottle, you can stop racking. This way you will not rack over as much sediment.

 

[AlFulchino]

there is so much GOOD wine still to be had in those lees from that first racking

 

[jnmar]

Thanks Guys, don't know where I'd be without all the helpful advice. And I agree Al, I hate to think of throwing all that good wine out with the dish water. The sediment is just so light and fluffy, wish there was a simple, quick way of compacting it.

I'll use the above advice and get on with the program. I need to get another kit or two going, it's just plain boring sitting here and watching wine clear when it's 15 degrees and icy outside. Geeeeze, watching water boil ain't got nothing on watching wine clear.

 

[AlFulchino]

run your lees thru a strainer...let it drip thru or press it if you are in a rush...it will give you some free topping off wine or that extra glass to drink

 

[Randoneur]

Maybe a centrifuge would work

 

[jnmar]

This Pinot Noir is smelling and tasting so wonderful. It's hard to believe it's only 17 days since pitching yeast. I need to hurry up and put it away, at this rate there won't be anything but marbles left to bottle. I may have to duct tape a bung in it or aging is going to be a challenge.