Metabisulphite powder used for aging

[JohnnyRico]

Hello all! This seems to be a pretty cool website and I look forward to getting advice from the more experienced. I have been making wine a couple years now and figured I would ask a question I wasn’t sure of the answer to.

In the directions of some of the kits I have used I have noticed it is mentioned that the metabisulphite quantity in the kit is very low. If I wanted to age the wine more than 6 months I should add metabisulphite powder. This side note is always mentioned during the final racking/clearing stage, prior to bottling. Because it’s not mentioned during the bottling stage, I understand this to be in reference to the bulk aging that many of us do prior to bottling.

Am I correct in this understanding? Or does this mean that the batch of Cab I have stored away should have had some metabisulphite powder added to it before I bottled it to age in my basement for a few years.. lol. I understand its used to prevent oxidization of the wine, so I figure maybe I should be adding more during bottling.

Thanks in advance.

Rico

 

[robie]

Welcome to the forum.

In those kits, which you mentioned, the amount of Kmeta to be added at stabilization is enough to protect the wine for 6 months, regardless of whether you are bulk aging or bottling right away.

Basically, if you are not going to drink that wine within that six-month period, you should add an extra amount. If you are going to bottle right away, you should add the extra just before bottling. Make sure it is dissolved in a small amount of warm water, then stirred into the wine very well.

If bulk aging, you can add the extra now or sometime before the end of the next 6 months.

It is always best if the amount you add is the result of your having ran a free SO2 test. If you don't run that test, during bulk aging you can add about 1/8th teaspoon every 2 to 3 months and you should be fine.

If you are going to be making wine over the long haul, it is best you get a good free SO2 test setup. Here's what I use:
http://morewinemaking.com/view_product/18643/103333/Economy_Aeration-Oxidation_Free_SO2_Test_Kit

Good luck!

 

[JohnnyRico]

Thanks for the info Robie.

So if I figured I would store the batch of Cab after its bottled for lets say 2 years, how do you anticipate that in the amount of kmeta? 1/8th teaspoon X12??? Sounds like an overdose but maybe Im wrong.

 

[robie]

Thanks for the info Robie.

So if I figured I would store the batch of Cab after its bottled for lets say 2 years, how do you anticipate that in the amount of kmeta? 1/8th teaspoon X12??? Sounds like an overdose but maybe Im wrong.

Yes. That's a lot and also a good point. For such long term aging, you really need to test for free SO2.

Curious about why you want to bulk age for 2 years, though. Unless you are making some sort of adjustments periodically, after the last sediment has dropped after the first 8 months to a year, there is not much advantage in bulk aging that long.

Maybe if you are barrel aging that long...

Also, the larger the container of wine, the slower it ages. This means that in a carboy, the wine will age very much slower than in the bottle.

 

[Wade E]

Yeah, 1 year of bulk aging is enough IMO but to answer your question, no you do not add 1/8th x 12!!!!!! Every time you add sulfite more and more becomes bound in the wine meaning that every time you add it you should need less and less. There is no way to know what amount of S02 youll need in your wine most likely to age it say 3 years. If you know you are not going to touch any of that wine for a long time then go a little high on S02 before bottling but nothing crazy, say bring it up to about 55 ppm or so instead of around 34 ppm which is an approx normal. Of coarse even that normal # is dependent on ph readings.

 

[JohnnyRico]

When I mentioned aging the wine 2 years I was refuring to it being bottled and stashed away for a while.

So if I understand you guys right, I should bulk age for no more than a year or so, and then bottle and more or less drink it after the bottle shock time period has ended. Sound about right?

 

[Wade E]

You dont have to drink it after bottleshock. It can be fine in bottles for many years especially if you have good cellar conditions! Your wine will stay good for many years under quality corks.

 

[JohnnyRico]

Thanks for the response Wade. So the kmeta is only used during bulk aging? After its bottled its good to go? Check my original question.. that's what I thought but got confused after Robie's response.

 

[JohnnyRico]

Here's my predicament in question to help find clarity.. lol.

One of my first creations was a Malbec I bottled about 8 months ago. I bulk aged it for a few months before bottling, so its about a year old when it comes to its age. Since I never added kmeta during bulk aging or prior to bottling I was worried the wine would be spoiled now.