WineXpert Gewurztraminer

[100LL]

Should be a very basic question...but its my first time

started the Gewurztraminer on 5/11/10 and have not racked to secondary yet...smells great though!

my question was concerning bulk aging with these kits....recommended or follow instructions to the t?
and if bulk aging, when do you add the extra metabisulphate?

 

[mmadmikes1]

I add about an extra 1/2 teaspoon at last racking before aging

 

[Wade E]

I always recommend at least some because even with using a fining agent they will drop more very fine sediment (Lees) after doing so. It also gives the wine a little time to age before we can get our greedy little hands on those bottles! LOL

mmadmike, that is a lot of sulfites and I dont recommend that much at all! I add 1/4 tsp per 6 gallon batch as recommended and then another 1/4 tsp after 3 months of bulk aging.
If bottling at time od adding or within a few weeks and expecting to cellar fpor a year or more then another 1/4 tsp is all that is needed.

 

[Runningwolf]

Like Wade said i add 1/4 when fining. Let it age three months rack it again and add another 1/4 teaspoon. Bottle any time after that.

 

[100LL]

thanks guys, i re-read the directions ( its a vintners reserve kit ) and there is no second racking before bottling. The website says to do all the degassing, stablilizing, and clearing with the sediment included.
If i want to do a bulk aging, should i rack a second time and then add the sulfites before storing it, once i have let it settle down with the clearing agents and everything?

ETA: well looks like i missed something, the directions DO say to rack to a clean carboy before bulk aging, and recommend adding the sulfites at that time. thanks for the advice

 

[Wade E]

I would let it sit with the fining agents longer then stated and with the carboy tolted so that all the sediment falls to one side, this way you can stick your racking cae right to the bottom of the side with no sediment and get much more wine without the chance of stirring any of it up and rack over to clean carboy. I also strongly advise you to never bottle from a vessel with sediment in there as its very hard to do all that bottling without disturbing the lees and once thats done you have a problem with waiting for the rest of that wine to clear again and you are now at a level that will not fill any vessel you have properly leaving it exposed to oxidation. Rack again t clean vessel if there is sediment on the bottom or sacrifice a few bottles to the sediment gods by never bringing your racking cane all the way down. You can always take whats left in there and transfer that to a vessel that it will fit in appropriately and let this stuff clear again and use this to top off a like wine in the future.

 

[100LL]

great advice wade, thanks. ill keep all of that in mind

 

[100LL]

ended up racking today after the SG read about .992 for the past two days. its sitting in the carboy, tilted up on block and ready to clear.
im hoping to be able to bottle in about 1 1/2 months after its all settled and i have aged it a while.