Is secondary timing crucial?

[RiverRat]

I started the LE Blanc de Noir kit seven days ago, and as of last night the SG read 1.06 with a lot of activity. I had expected to have this racked into the primary by now because I am leaving town early tomorrow (4:00 a.m.) and will be gone for five days. My question is whether it would be better to rack now when the SG is still high, or wait knowing that it will be in the primary a few days longer than directed. Thoughts? Not sure if it matters, but I swapped the yeast with QA23 and added the entire f-pack into primary. Room temp is holding at 66 degrees.

 

[Julie]

Leave it as us, racking with a lot of activity will give you a volcano! Five days isn't that long.

 

[RiverRat]

Thank you!

 

[StBlGT]

1.060 is way too high!!

Haha edit....my bad. I misread and thought it said 1.006

 

[Julie]

Sorry but racking your wine to a Carboy at 1.060 is too much of an active ferment. Putting an airlock on a carboy with an sg of 1.060 and is actively fermenting will cause an overflow.

 

[Jericurl]

QA23 ferments pretty slow and with your temperature you should be just fine. I would not rack at 1.06.
First the fermentation is too active and second, you'll be leaving a lot of good stuff behind.

 

[Johnd]

Agree with the two posters above, no need to rack at 1.060, you're not even halfway through fermentation, you won't be leaving much, if any, sediment behind, what you do leave, your wine still needs, you're in no danger of oxidation at this stage of the game, let it roll. Your instructions for this kit won't have you racking until you're much lower.

 

[RiverRat]

Thank you, everyone, for your great insight!