Duration of Bulk Aging

[Flafemina]

I have been making wine from juice (Cabernet Sauvignon - Pinot Noir mix). It has been bulk aging now for 8 months in a 5 gallon carboy. Is it time to bottle? Do I add k-meta before bottling? Thank you.

 

[rob]

I know several folks here are going to tell you to wait, however if you ever looked at a commercial winery they hardly ever age more than 6 months, I mean they can't afford to use all there containers that long. For some reason we all seem to be caught up in wanting to age 1, 2, or even 3 years. I have tasted wine that was aged 6 months and wine that aged 2 years and I can't tell the difference.

 

[Julie]

I agree with Rob.

If the wine is clear and no sediment is laying on the bottom of the carboy, go ahead and bottle. I normally bulk age 6 to 9 months and then bottle. lol, I hate waiting any longer than that to start a new wine!

 

[Flafemina]

Thank you so much. I appreciate the replies! Excited to start bottling. Is it ok to allow the wine to rise in temperature when in the bottles? I don't have a cellar and the temp is getting warm now.

 

[GEM]

Not to be contrary, but it depends on what type of wine you have. Commercial winerys normally age white wines for a very short while or not at all, in stainless steel vats. Chardonney is aged in oak to give it the "buttery" taste and feel. Quality reds on the other hand are aged in oak for a year or more. The better reds can go 3-4 years in bulk oak aging, the latter stages in neutral barrels. So, if you have a red, there is nothing wrong with aging for a bit longer. If on the other hand you want to drink right away, go for it.

 

[Turock]

Did you do an MLF on these wines?

When we make these kinds of wines, they are no where near drinking until the 2-3 year mark. But like others have said, if it's clear--which it SHOULD be because it was made from juice--you can bottle it and let it age in the bottles. We never uncork until the wine has hit the 2 year mark. Our Pinot Noir that just hit 3 years of age is really good. Aging Cab and Pinot Noir is one of the most important things you can do so that its full flavor comes forward. Less than that and it tastes too young. If you didn't MLF, this wine it might be kind of harsh.

Do you know what the PH is? That is what setermines how much free SO2 should be in the wine. If you don't know the PH, you could shoot for 50 PPM. Warm temps aren't good---try to store it in the coolest place possible.

 

[Pumpkinman]

I agree with the time frame being dependent on the type of wine, and the wine making process.
I've seen wineries age for years, and others that have benefited from making young wines. For most of us, I really believe that it is a matter of our own preferences, I have 2 5 gallon batches of Amarone from Juice pails that are approx 8 months old; I would have drank these at 4 months they were so good...LOL
I'm glad that I waited, they've only gotten better, and soon I'll put them through an oak barrel. I figure that by the time I'm ready to bottle, they'll be 18 months old, and I'll wait another 4 -6 months before I open any bottles, just about 24 months old.

 

[Elmer]

I know I am one of the last guys who should be giving wine advice, but since I am at work and procrastinating here it goes.....

I tend to make batches of wine in the fall and winter and bulk age to the following year.
I will usually bulk age maybe a good 8 to 9 months. Unless I absolutely need the carboy and then I bottle early.
I have bottled wine and let it clear in the bottle and just tell people the floaters are an added bonus!

I still maintain that a wine will age and change inside a bottle.
So bulk age, bottle and let sit for a few years!


"wine only turns into alcohol if you let it sit."- L Bluth

 

[GaDawg]

I know so little I don't even expect anything, but why does one age in a carboy? I would think it would be better to bottle and free up the carboy for the next batch

 

[JohnT]

I know so little I don't even expect anything, but why does one age in a carboy? I would think it would be better to bottle and free up the carboy for the next batch

I can give you my reasons..

1) Wine will continue to drop sediment, especially while it is young. By bulk aging, I have the option of racking this sediment out. Once in the bottle, racking is not an option.

2) I age on oak. This takes time.

3) I have found that I prefer the wine that has been bulk aged. Is seem softer and smoother.

4) bulk aging ensures that I do not drink up all of the wine right away.

 

[GeoS]

I know so little I don't even expect anything, but why does one age in a carboy? I would think it would be better to bottle and free up the carboy for the next batch

You can either age in a bottle or in a carboy. The key is to fill the bottle or carboy up into the neck to limit the exposure to oxygen. Less surface area exposed the better.

The key for me to age in a carboy is temptation. Once bottled its too damn easy to just crack one open. Then like smoking, one leads to another!

Also, aging in a carboy allows you to control the exposure to oak or other woods you may want the wine to take on.

 

[Elmer]

Once bottled its too damn easy to just crack one open. Then like smoking, one leads to another!

.

I have to disagree with this one point and I know I am in the minority on this.

I will steal and taste from a carboy all the time.
Once I bottle, I find it too much of a pain to open and drink.
My bottles last much longer than my carboy, in fact years longer.

It is just so much easier to open a beer or unscrew a whiskey bottle like a savage then have to stumble around looking to find where my wife misplaced the wine opener!

if it is Wednesday it must be raining

 

[Turock]

I agree with John. Sediment continues to drop out when you are making wine from grapes because they contain proteins,potassium,hydrogen tartrates, and sometimes, even DIRT. It's very wise to allow these kinds of red wines to age in the carboy for 1-1 1/2 years. Then you know they won't become cloudy in the bottle. After that, you can bottle successfully. I would never compromise a wine just because I needed the carboy--that's how we ended up with 80 carboys!!

As John said--you're aging--oaking--waiting to blend, etc. so you need the wines in the carboy.

But Flafemina is using juice--much less sediment problem. So after 9 months or so, she should be pretty assured of no more sediment. But Cab and Pinot Noir are not early drinkers. We are working on a Cab as we speak--it's just done fermenting, so now it will be MLF, and oaking and it will be 2 years before we'll even touch it to see how we did with it. Big reds need much time to be good wines.

 

[GaDawg]

Are you guys saying that kit wine will drop sediment for 1 1/2 to 2 years? I am probably wrong, but I was under the impression that oak had given its all after about 6 weeks.
Thanks for helping me get straightened out!

 

[GeoS]

Kit wines use a clarifying agent to drop the sediment. Like sparkaloid they only take a few weeks. I think those guys, 1 to 1 1/2 years are clarifying naturally.

 

[Elmer]

I just added Sparkalloid to my welches/serrano pepper wine.
After 1 week it is as clear as a welches concentrate could be.
I am going to bottle this weekend, simply because this was my "lets see if I can do a welches/serrano pepper" and I could. It was my 1st 1 gallon non kit wine.
I has bulk aged for a month and I need the jug.
I will let it age in the bottle for at least 6 months to a year before I drink!
Any more aging it can do on its own, in its own individual bottle

 

[Turock]

We were talking about dropping sediment from wine made from GRAPES--wine made from juice and concentrate don't have the same issues.

 

[wineforfun]

So when you are aging in the carboys for say, 6 mos., 9 mos., 1 1/2 yrs., are you racking every so often, and if so, how often? Also, do you have to add K-Meta every racking?
I just finished racking my RJ CC Winery Series OVZ w/ skins. Racked to the carboys at 1.020, and then did it again this weekend after it sat for a couple of days at .992.
Added K-Meta, Sorbate, Chitosane and Kieselsol per instructions. Was going to let it bulk age but not sure how long, about more rackings, about adding more K-Meta, etc.
Thanks.

 

[Elmer]

I rack my kit wines every 4 to 6 months (depending on my free time).
With every rack I add K-meta & Sorbate.

I am having an issue with my Cab-Franc clearing, so next racking I am going to add some sparkalloid, rack once more and bottle in november.

You can bulk age for as long as you want, but all wine types have age limits!

 

[cmason1957]

With every rack I add K-meta & Sorbate.

Really, you add Sorbate every 4 to 6 months. I don't believe there is any need to add it more than once. K-Meta every 4 to 6, sure, if you can test your SO2 levels and they have dropped enough to need it.