Newbie trying to calculate alcohol content & aging tips

[jhanger]

on 4/6, I began making my first wine, the Cellar Craft Showcase Tempranillo 6-week kit. I followed the instructions and took a specific gravity reading 1 day after adding grape pack to the juice. Hydrometer read 1.080. Room always kept at 72 degrees F. On 4/16, after primary fermentation, I took another SG reading and got 0.992. On 4/25, after secondary fermentation, my SG reading was 0.990.

What is my alcohol content? If I understand the instructions on my Hydrometer, then I take my initial SG reading (1.080) and adjust for temperature over 60 (+0.002) for a total of 1.082. Which is about 10.7% by volume. Then I take my last SG reading (0.990) and adjust for temperature (+.002) for a total of 0.992. Which is about -1.2% by volume. So I add 10.7 - (-1.2) and get 11.9% by volume. Is that right or am I missing something??

Anyways, I then racked, degassed, racked again (tip on my auto siphon came off and too much sediment in the carboy), degassed again, added clarifying agents, followed by oak cubes as per instructions. I didn't have a 5 gallon carboy to rack into or any glass marbles, so I topped off with a bottle of Tempranillo from my collection and now letting it sit until day 42 - the instructions say to bottle at day 42 if wine is clear. PRO ADVICE NEEDED! Should I follow the instructions and bottle age or continue to age in the carboy with the oak cubes and maybe rack it every month? If I do bulk age it, should I transfer the oak cubes with each racking? I really want to make a wine I can be proud of. Thanks.

 

[jhanger]

Oops, i omitted a few details. I added the k-meta and k-sorbate, then racked, degassed, etc. Also, I added the oak cubes before i added the clarifying agents, not after as written above.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Your ABV will be between 11 and 12%. I don't get that specific with adjusting for temp. 1.080 is a little over 10%

You can age longer if you like. You want to be sure its fully clear and allow for any tartaric crystals to fall out. As long as its in a Carboy undisturbed and sir locked your fine.

You can rack off of any fine sediment and oak chips, back sweeten and add a pinch of sulfite. Allow to rest a few weeks to be sure the sorbate is working. Then bottle.