Have I left it too late to bottle?

[Chocciechick]

Hello! I am hoping your knowledge can save me from having to get seriously plastered sometime soon...

I get given bags and boxes of various fruits every year, and August 2017, I finally bought a whole bunch of wine making gear because my cupboards can't hold any more jams, jellies and pickles and I have always wanted to have a crack at making wine. And I like wine, even though I don't know much about it.

SO upstairs in my spare room, I have several demi-johns of what looks to be clear wine made from various fruits (these are all separate demi-johns, not mixed altogether):-

Blackcurrant (Ribena bush)
Blackberry
Damson
Strawberry & Rhubarb
Pear
Apple & Pear

They were all fermented (the bubbles stopped appearing in the airlock bungs), racked off several times, no sediment present, stabilised (I think that's the correct terminology, it's been 2 and a half years and I have only done this once, please forgive me!). I "back sweetened" the Damson one as it was really really dry at the time and stabilised that... and then left them all in their demi-johns, where they have been sitting ever since. I have all the bottles, corks and corking machine to bottle them, but I just never got around to doing it.

My question is, is it too late to bottle them now? Will I have to drink these wines pretty quickly once they are un-bunged? After 2.5 years, I am hoping they are nice and tasty...so I don't suppose it would be TOO terrible if I can't bottle them now - I had a little taste each time they were racked off, and the apple and pear was particularly nice even then!

The reds are all different colours, they look amazing. I am hoping they tast great too. I don't mind admitting I am a bit nervous at trying them.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Johnd]

Hello! I am hoping your knowledge can save me from having to get seriously plastered sometime soon...

I get given bags and boxes of various fruits every year, and August 2017, I finally bought a whole bunch of wine making gear because my cupboards can't hold any more jams, jellies and pickles and I have always wanted to have a crack at making wine. And I like wine, even though I don't know much about it.

SO upstairs in my spare room, I have several demi-johns of what looks to be clear wine made from various fruits (these are all separate demi-johns, not mixed altogether):-

Blackcurrant (Ribena bush)
Blackberry
Damson
Strawberry & Rhubarb
Pear
Apple & Pear

They were all fermented (the bubbles stopped appearing in the airlock bungs), racked off several times, no sediment present, stabilised (I think that's the correct terminology, it's been 2 and a half years and I have only done this once, please forgive me!). I "back sweetened" the Damson one as it was really really dry at the time and stabilised that... and then left them all in their demi-johns, where they have been sitting ever since. I have all the bottles, corks and corking machine to bottle them, but I just never got around to doing it.

My question is, is it too late to bottle them now? Will I have to drink these wines pretty quickly once they are un-bunged? After 2.5 years, I am hoping they are nice and tasty...so I don't suppose it would be TOO terrible if I can't bottle them now - I had a little taste each time they were racked off, and the apple and pear was particularly nice even then!

The reds are all different colours, they look amazing. I am hoping they tast great too. I don't mind admitting I am a bit nervous at trying them.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Best way to find out is to taste them. I'd say that if the vessels were properly topped up and the airlocks were maintained (or you used solid bungs), that everything would be just fine. If there's been excessive air exposure, could be a total loss. If they taste fine, rack them to clean vessels and get them sulfited at the rate of 1/4 tsp per 6 gallons, and bottle them quickly. Good luck, let us know how it turns out!!

 

[Chocciechick]

Thank you John!

Just been to have a look at them - it's not looking very good. The apple and pear has gone really dark (it was a lovely clear, pale green originally).
The rhubarb & the pear have some sort of fungus looking layer on the top of them
The demi john with the solid bung (Ribena) looks OK.
The other reds (Damson and Blackberry) have the same water bungs as the fungus brothers, but they look OK, so I am not sure about those.

I'll have a closer inspection on Saturday when I have time to get geared up and sterilised on the off chance that bottling is going ahead!

Thanks again John, I'll let you know, if I survive!

 

[Johnd]

Thank you John!

Just been to have a look at them - it's not looking very good. The apple and pear has gone really dark (it was a lovely clear, pale green originally).
The rhubarb & the pear have some sort of fungus looking layer on the top of them
The demi john with the solid bung (Ribena) looks OK.
The other reds (Damson and Blackberry) have the same water bungs as the fungus brothers, but they look OK, so I am not sure about those.

I'll have a closer inspection on Saturday when I have time to get geared up and sterilised on the off chance that bottling is going ahead!

Thanks again John, I'll let you know, if I survive!

I wouldn't taste anything that has fungus in it, nor a wine that used to be straw colored and is now brown. Only one I'd take a chance on is the one with the solid bung..................

 

[Chocciechick]

Oh definitely with you on that, I was nervous enough about trying them, but anything wearing a fur coat and dodgy colour has got no chance!! I am hoping the Ribena one is good. Fingers crossed