bottle without the sorbate?

[Trubador]

Can I bottle without the addition of sorbate?

I added 1/4 tsp of K-meta this morning to a carboy of Pinot Noir with the intention of bottling it tonight after the kids go to sleep.

Then I realized that I never added sorbate. I made this wine last April 2009 and it has been in the carboy all this time. So, wanting to bottle tonight, I can't add the sorbate alone without more k-meta (I think they have to be added together).

So, can I bottle tonight without the sorbate? Or is it better to add even more k-meta tonight with the sorbate? Or should I wait a month and bottle then with k-meta and sorbate together?

I am willing to risk it without the sorbate, just curious if this is a BIG risk or just a little risk.

 

[AlFulchino]

if you could test your so2 and found that you need more then you could do the kmeta and sorbate

however if the wine is dry...you are likely to not need sorbate at all( my opinion).....and especially so if this will be a young drinker....even then..if its a dry wine i see no issue

if there is no sugar to consume then any yeast remaining have nothing do eat

 

[Wade E]

Sorbate is primarily used only when sweetening a wine but it also has antimicrobial properties that make it a useful toll for using even on dry wines. You dont need to use it when not sweetening but it will help in keeping your wine good.

 

[ibglowin]

That is not true. The both do a totally different job (one is a preservative and the other kills yeast and other microbes) and they can be added one at a time or together.

I can't add the sorbate alone without more k-meta (I think they have to be added together).

 

[grapeman]

You already added the k-meta today- so the sorbate can be added now if you want. It isn't meant literally that they need to be added at the same time, it's just that you don't want to use sorbate without adding some k-meta. You run the risk of malolactic bacteria beginning work on the wine without the k-meta. Then if you add the sorbate the mlb can convert some of the sorbate into geraniol- giving the wine an unpleasant geranium smell and taste. You don't need to worry about that because as you stated, you added the k-meta today. It is actually a bit better the way you did it, because the k-meta has had a chance to kill most of the bacteria by now.


That stated- the sorbate is optional if you aren't sweetening, but it will inhibit any yeast you might have lurking in your wine.

 

[Trubador]

You guys are the best!!! Thanks for the replies.