How to do multiple rackings ....

[saylor]

Hi I have a cab/merlot wine kit that I started about 2 weeks ago. I just moved it into secondary today. I want to try and rack a couple times instead of just bottling on the fourth week. Should I follow kit instructions up until the fourth week when I'm supposed to bottle but instead just rack into another carboy? When I rack in the second carboy do I need to add anything or should I just keep moving it from carboy to carboy . Thanks

 

[Rocky]

Hi I have a cab/merlot wine kit that I started about 2 weeks ago. I just moved it into secondary today. I want to try and rack a couple times instead of just bottling on the fourth week. Should I follow kit instructions up until the fourth week when I'm supposed to bottle but instead just rack into another carboy? When I rack in the second carboy do I need to add anything or should I just keep moving it from carboy to carboy . Thanks

Saylor, what you are describing here is "bulk aging" and many of us do this for up to a year and even more for red wines. You probably added k-meta as part of the kit instructions. If you are not testing for sulfite levels, you would be safe to add 1/4 teaspoon of k-meta every three or four months counting from when you added it per the kit instructions.

Also, don't over rack while you are bulk aging. Get most of the sediment out up front and then rack it off any residual sediment just before bottling.