Is it safe to assume that if you add a 1/4 teaspoon prior to bottling, the added sulfite will not only be free, but will “evaporate” or release when decanted?
If so, I don’t see any problem adding a little more to help ensure that all of the hard work isn’t for nothing.
Do others agree?
I suppose it depends on how much sulphite was added during bulk aging and how long it's been sitting. If you followed the kit instructions all of them generally say if aging for either 3 or 6 months depending on the kit you should add in the 1/4tsp. They do not however specify if bulk aging or bottle aging. Everything I've read over the past year arguable says that the addition before bottling is the most important step. I found with some wines you may get a slight aroma if you open them the day after bottling but it fades over the next few weeks to a month, which is really bottle shock territory anyways. This could also be due to the fact i sanatize the bottles with Sulphites as well without letting them dry, perhaps I should allow the bottles to dry first. Once the wine gets over the bottle shock it generally wont have any aroma of Sulphites anyways and it's because the SO2 binds with the oxygen and bacteria and cancels each other out. Whatever is left of the free SO2 or if you choose to drink the wine early just decant it for an hour, or get one of those bottle aerators, there is one specifically they claim to reduce sulphite levels by 56%. There was a study someone did on here that I'm still looking for, they claim following the wine kit instructions that SO2 levels were dangerously low by the time of bottling. I think manufacturers do this so the wine can be consumed very early for new customers, since they are advertising a 6-8 week kit...even for big reds. If the wine did not taste good even in the early stages it may turn people off of their wine, since many new to the hobby are impatient.
The funny thing is, while the wine may not turn to vinegar it could fall somewhat flat and be missing out on flavors or aromas without enough SO2. The worst part, we wouldn't even know the wine could have been better, we think that's just how the wine evolved and how it's supposed to taste.
Yes with kits we are putting in 4-5 g of Sulphites but I use a drill to degas shortly after, by the time the CO2 is gone, how much Sulphites are really left? Not to mention during clearing I'm sure alot of the Sulphites drop out and bind to the bacteria, which is what prevents the formation of vinegar.