Aging Wine

[Flafemina]

I am making wine from juice, started the process about 4 months ago. The last time I touched the wine was 60 days ago when I racked it down from a 6 gal to a 5 gal carboy and added a small amount of K-meta. Should I rack the wine again and add more meta? Should I just let it continue to bulk age without disturbing it? It's a red wine mix of Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir. Thank you for your input.

 

[TonyP]

I take it you can't measure SO2 accurately. Assuming you have the wine under airlock, there's no need to do anything now. The addition of 1/4 tsp of k-meta should give you adequate protection from oxidation (and potential microbes) for 3-4 months. A month or two from now, add another 1/4 tsp and rack if necessary. Continue like that (every 3-4 months), but at some point you should add the 1/4 tsp and bottle instead of racking. Note though that red wine is less sensitive to oxidation than white so don't add the k-meta prematurely.

Also, how did you loose a gallon?

 

[JohnT]

You sould rack the wine if it needs it. OK, so how do you know if the wine needs it..

Typically, as the wine settles, you will end up with nice clear wine and a layer of sediment on the bottom. If you have a layer of sediment, and the wine is clear, then you should rack.

Be warned though, racking can be overdone. Try to limit racking to no more than 4 times (as a general rule).

 

[Flafemina]

When I racked from 6 gal to 5 gal I took the excess and bottled it and corked the bottle. Not sure if this was the right thing to do or not. They are sitting next to my bulk

 

[JohnT]

As long as fermentation is complete, I see no harm in corking bottles for "top-off". Keep in mind that corked bottles may need some degassing.

 

[Flafemina]

How close to the top should I be in the carboy. Currently I am about 2" which is just at the bottom of the neck. I was concerned about expansion.

 

[TonyP]

Rule of thumb is 2" maximum. I stay between 1 & 2. Expansion shouldn't be a big issue post-fermentation. The biggest concern is oxidation.

 

[JohnT]

I agree with Tonyp,

2" at most, provided you are only aging your wine. If you still have active fermentation or are attempting MLF, then I would leave a little more headspace.