How long are you allowing your Noirette and Marquette to ferment before racking it for the 1st time?
The ferment is finished if the SG is 1.000 ish, and the SG hasn’t changed for 3 days. If you did this wine from grapes, and have gross lees, skins, pulp, etc. then it is time to rack. If it was fermented from juice, you probably have fine lees. If so it’s ok to leave a little while longer, but given the time it’s been fermenting I suspect it’s done.
I m going to measure the SG tomorrow. Then I’ll rack it.Humm, for what purpose?
- if I had skins I could argue that I was going to extract more tannin or pigment. There are some processes which will run for a month or if carbonic laceration is done the skins can be macerated prior to alcohol production. ,,, The most I have let reds sit on the skins is probably ten days, normal about a week.
- On my part I do lots of fruit where air exposure is bad/ creates acetaldehyde, so I pull the primary at 1.010 to 1.030 when it is actively producing CO2.
- flavor, if my goal was lots of tannin I could extend primary, With petite pearl which has the best tannins in my vineyard I try to make a pleasing young red and press at about a week.
What is your gravity? If it is 0.995 +/- the yeast is done and chemical oxidation will happen.
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