Could it be ready?

[zember311]

Ok all,


I played with my baby batches and drank them young just for the instant gratification, and to make sure I wasn't gonna get myself sick

So,


I bought a can of zinfandel concentrate, " Alexanders "


1 can,
enough water to make 6 gallons
and a care pack or chemicals from the store, tannin, emzymes and such.


I started this batch Jan 26,2008


It's primary ferment was done on FEB 15.


From there I let it sit till the 20th and did my first rack into two 3 gallon jugs with 1 tablet per gallon ofcampden.


On March 20, I racked it again back into the 6 gallon carboy with 6 campdens as well.


So now it has been silently sitting ever since. There are a few floaties in the bottle from the crushed campden, just a few small undisolved pieces, but no weird oilish haze in the wine, no spider webs, just a carboy of some super clear zin.


( I hope )


So with this amount of time, the co2 sould have worked it's self out by time, right ?


Now I want to plan on bottling it since the weather is getting a bit hotter these days and I am averaging 76 in the house.


Just rack it off one last time, add 6 more campden tablets and bottle ?


Just spent so long on this batch, don't want to mess it up.


And how could one REALLY tell if there is a issue with the wine ?


Thanks all.

 

[Wade E]

Do not count on time degassing your wine. I had a few 6 gallon batches that were done last summer and finally got them bottled last week. I didnt use fining agents on them, just lots of time and rackings and there was still alot of gas in there and the temps never got below 66* in that room but usually stay around 68*-72*. Make sure you degas well and really crush up the tablets this time. What i do when i use them is put them in a little bag and smash them with a hammer until its a very fine powder.

 

[Bert]

Not sure if it is ready to bottle, you may still have CO2 to get rid of, but you are getting a lot of K-Meta in your wine adding that much in a short time...

 

[Wade E]

Didnt even notice that Bert. You dont need to add k-meta every time you rack. I dont think you should add any more after re-reading your post thanks to Bert! Typically we add k-meta after fermentation is doneand after that every 6 months of bulk aging. If you are going to back sweeten you should add some sorbate though at the rate of 1/2 tsp per gallon.

 

[grapeman]

Like Wade and Bert said, you don't need any more Campdens. I prefer to use powdered K-Meta. It is much easier to dissolve completely and a 6 gallon batch only takes 1/4 teaspoon at first and the another 1/4 tsp before bottling. I would also try to degass.


As a side not- you may find the wine on the thin side. The Alexander's has much better body when used as 2 cans per 5 or 6 gallon batch. I know Wade doesn't think they can make decent wine, but I have hade a few pretty good ones for the cost(using 2 cans per 6 gallons).