How to "add time" to wine making project and racking

[ViNesv]

I am just starting to make wine, planning to do this just from wine kit. I read a lot on this forum and I already got help from forum members in my first wine kit making.
I was told that I should consider "adding a little TIME to your project".
So I want to learn for my next wine batches where i should consider adding time and were not and if there are any other impacts if I add time.

So here are my comments for each wine making stage - can somebody see if I understood correct each wine making stage:

Stage 1: Primary fermentation.
Usually instructions says ferment x days until gravity reaches y.
As I understood from this forum there are no benefits waiting longer for primary fermentation phase. Am I right?

Stage 2: Secondary fermentation.
It appears that some members recommend to extend this stage a bit. For how long? Do I need to consider adding extra chemicals/ingredients if I choose to extend this stage?
How often should I rack at this stage? Or should I just rack once at the end of this stage?
Should I follow kit instructions for racking? If I do not follow kit instructions - how does this change chemicals/ingredients I add?

Stage 3: De-gassing
I read that moving wine from carboy into primary fermenter bucket and degassing there is easier (more surface), then use drill with attachment. Is that right?
My wine kit instructions for this stage said: "Add metabisulphite, sorbate and Kieselsol". Should I add this before de-gassing or after?
Should I rack after de-gassing? If wine kit instructions allocate 1 day for de-gassing, should I wait longer?
Should I skip this step if I will do "bulk aging" in carboy and will keep wine there for 3 months?

Stage 4: Clearing
My understanding this is the stage where I can spend more time than kit says, am I right? My kit recommends here to wait 10 days after adding "Chitosan".
My understanding is that I can choose to wait here 3 months or more (how much more? depends on wine color/type?)
Do you recommend racking during this step? How often?

Stage 5: Bulk Aging
Usually not recommended by wine kits, but I see many people keep wine in carboy for long period. What would be recommendation - how long? Again, does that depend on wine type/color? If I choose to do bulk aging, what extra chemicals should I add, how often? How often to rack?

Stage 6: bottling
No questions here.

 

[bchilders]

Hi ViNesv, very good question. In my experience Kit instructions will emphasize the need to Degas thoroughly before adding a clearing agent. I would recommend following kit instructions to the letter until you have completed a couple so you can have a standard to compare to with the kits you do deviate from. When you do decide to deviate, I would suggest adding time to the degassing process and then to the clearing process. I am a firm believer in adding two or more rackings to the final clearing stage before bottling with 1 to 2 months between each racking. It really depends on the wine and how clear it is.

-
1. Follow steps 1 and 2 as printed.
2. You can certainly add more time to steps 3 and 4. Take as much time as needed to degas (racking not necessary at this point). Add time for extra rackings to the clearing phase.
3. I am not a huge fan of bulk aging in glass carboys as there is not enough O2 exchange to have an effective aging process. (best if aged in the bottle) Having said that, I have been known to hold my wines for more than two years waiting to bottle just cause I can. (need to watch free SO2 levels if doing this)


Good luck

 

[sour_grapes]

Here is a good article on this topic by a real kit expert: https://winemakermag.com/blogs/making-your-kit-wine-shine-redeaux

 

[DoctorCAD]

This is probably the most succinct and detailed instruction set ever put together for kit winemaking. The first time I followed it to a T was on a Valpolicella and it came out show-worthy. I do follow it very closely on almost every batch I make anymore, but after doing it several times, I have developed a few changes, nothing earth shattering, just things that improve the process flow for me. (Six Sigma trained )

http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/extended.asp

 

[ViNesv]

Thank you very for replies and for links! There is a lot of good info in the links!