Aging for Moscato

[Braden]

Do you have to age your wine kit? Should I? Is there anything different with again and what wines should age?

 

[Johnd]

Do you have to age your wine kit? Should I? Is there anything different with again and what wines should age?

No, you don't have to age your wine kits, however, there are some benefits to doing so. Most all wine kits will benefit from aging, at least for a little while, before bottling. The biggest advantages are that the wine will be free of CO2 and nice and clear, making the potential for dropping sediment in the bottles much lower. Additionally, it'll have a little time to develop before you bottle it, giving you the opportunity to taste and make any adjustments you might deem needed. Most wines need a little while to develop their taste profile, and therefore should have a little age on them before consuming anyway, so no harm letting them sit in the carboy for a bit. Generally speaking, white wines will be ready to bottle around the 6 month mark, reds a little longer, say 8 - 10 months. Reds will generally continue to improve with a little time in the bottle as well.