RJ Spagnols Do you top up the carboy after first racking?

[Gael]

Hi, I have been making a number of white wine from kits and am doing the RJS Amarone style right now. I want to let the wine sit in the carboy for a while with french oak spirals and am wondering what the process would look like. Tomorrow I will likely need to do the first racking and transfer from the primary fermenter into the glass carboy. Would this be the time when I add the oak spirals and let it sit for a few months, and do I top up the wine up to the rim? How long would you let this sit and would you do this in a 55 degrees environment or still leave in the 70s?
The process described by the kit manufacturer only has the standard process (calls for 2 inches of headspace which is fine for a short period of time but I am wondering what this will do when I let the wine sit for a longer period of time) so I am looking for some guidance.

Thank you
Gael

 

[montanaWineGuy]

I leave 2" head space, and its fine. If you're concerned add a few crushed Camden tablets.

 

[heatherd]

Is the wine done fermenting? If not don't top up and don't add Camden tablets. It'll be fine with some headspace until fermentation is complete. I always give extra space until fermentation is over.

If yes, you can top up to within 1-2" to the top and add kmeta according to the instructions. Then you can let it sit with oak for a more extended period of time.

 

[Gael]

Heather,
The wine has been fermenting 6 days so I was going to check the sg tomorrow. When you say "is the wine done fermenting", do you mean is the sg less than 0.995?
I was going to put the wine in the carboy once it has reached 0.995 and then put the oak in it. Is that too soon, i.e. should I wait until the secondary fermentation is done (another 10 days or so)? Do I then finish/clear the wine already or wait with that until I think the wine has absorbed the oak sufficiently?
Thanks for your help here.

 

[heatherd]

Heather,
The wine has been fermenting 6 days so I was going to check the sg tomorrow. When you say "is the wine done fermenting", do you mean is the sg less than 0.995?
I was going to put the wine in the carboy once it has reached 0.995 and then put the oak in it. Is that too soon, i.e. should I wait until the secondary fermentation is done (another 10 days or so)? Do I then finish/clear the wine already or wait with that until I think the wine has absorbed the oak sufficiently?
Thanks for your help here.

@Gael

At 0.995 fermentation is done or "dry." Now you can stabilize with kmeta or Camden tabs, rack, to carboy add oak, then top up. From there you can follow instructions for clearing.

Be sure to leave behind the gross lees (thick sediment) when you rack.

I generally omit the sorbate that comes with the kit when I am making a dry wine.

Oak can be added anytime in the process without negative impact. I'll often put some oak powder in the primary fermenter, and then use chips and spirals in the carboy for bulk aging/clearing stages. The reasoning is that I want the chips and spirals in contact with the wine for longer than the duration of primary fermentation, like six weeks, so I save them for the carboy. Powder or dust I stick in the primary.

If you quote me, like the post, or use @heatherd in your post I will see it when I log on and be quicker to respond.

Heather

 

[Gael]

@Gael

At 0.995 fermentation is done or "dry." Now you can stabilize with kmeta or Camden tabs, rack, to carboy add oak, then top up. From there you can follow instructions for clearing.

Be sure to leave behind the gross lees (thick sediment) when you rack.

I generally omit the sorbate that comes with the kit when I am making a dry wine.

Oak can be added anytime in the process without negative impact. I'll often put some oak powder in the primary fermenter, and then use chips and spirals in the carboy for bulk aging/clearing stages. The reasoning is that I want the chips and spirals in contact with the wine for longer than the duration of primary fermentation, like six weeks, so I save them for the carboy. Powder or dust I stick in the primary.

If you quote me, like the post, or use @heatherd in your post I will see it when I log on and be quicker to respond.

Heather

Thanks Heather!

 

[Petti]

@heatherd why do you skip using sorbate?

 

[Jc5066]

Unless you're back sweetening or plan on bottling right away you don't need sorbate.

Sorbate along with sulfite stops any further fermentation.

 

[heatherd]

@heatherd why do you skip using sorbate?

Correct - sorbate is predominantly used when you plan to back-sweeten. For a wine that is not back-sweetened I skip sorbate. I think it has a sweet flavor that leads to off taste in a dry wine.

 

[Petti]

Correct - sorbate is predominantly used when you plan to back-sweeten. For a wine that is not back-sweetened I skip sorbate. I think it has a sweet flavor that leads to off taste in a dry wine.

Good to know. Thanks!