Question about racking

[willj]

Hi, I'm new to wine making and this forum am a little confused about when to rack. I understand it is generally recommended to rack every 3 months and add 1/4 tsp of sulphites each time (for a 5/6 gallon batch). However I was wondering if the wine is not dropping any sediment is it still necessary to rack the wine every 3 months? Or would it be better not to disturb it and leave it until you are ready to bottle? If you don't rack, is it still advisable to add sulphites every 3 months or do you only need to add this when you rack?

Thanks!

 

[TonyR]

Good question, I have gone longer, 5 or 6 months. I think a lot depends on head space, your airlock, if the carboy is in a dark cool space, how lazy you are, if you have room for more bottles.. If you are going to keep it that long adding more sulphites ever 3/4 months I believe would be a good thing.

 

[Arne]

Yep, if it is clear, just add the k-meta every few months. Don't have to rack. Add the k-meta, gentle stir and you are done. Oops, don't forget the test taste. Arne.

 

[Boatboy24]

The best thing to do is test for sulfite and make sure you have the right amount, relative to your pH. If you can't do that, then an estimated dose every so often is the trick. However, there are theories that if your wine is in a carboy (particularly if you have a solid stopper on it), you're not losing much sulfite at all. Even with an airlock, in a properly topped up carboy, the air exchange is minimal. In that case, 1/4 tsp every 3-4 months is excessive, unless you're racking that often. Even then, it's probably too much. If I'm not mistaken, 1/4 tsp in 5 gallons gives you about 50ppm, which is plenty for most wines. If you were aging your wine for a year, you could be adding the equivalent of 200ppm. Even if your SO2 is falling by 50% every 3-4 months, you'd still have 100ppm after a year. I'm no expert on the subject of SO2 reduction over time, so I welcome the input of others on this.

Barrel aging is different, where your sulfite levels drop MUCH faster.

 

[JohnT]

Well, let me ask. Are you making a kit? If so, I would just follow the directions.

If not, then I say that you rack your wine when it needs it.

By this, I mean that you should rack...

- first racking (from your primary to your secondary) when the wine dips below a SG of 1.0000. This is to move the wine into a low headspace environment once the wine is almost completely fermented.

- second racking 1 or 2 weeks after your first racking. This is to remove dead yeast and the gross lees that first settles. A lot of "Bad Stuff" can happen in the presence of dead yeast and I have found that it is best to rack this off a soon as a thick sediment layer forms.

- Third racking when the wine is fully clear and sediment firmly forms at the bottom of your carboy.

- additional rackings - when you see any sediment. Some times, just 3 racking is enough, but other times I may do a forth or fifth. It all depends on the wine..

 

[willj]

Thanks all for the advice. I'm making a WE Stag's Leap Merlot which has been aging now for 3 months and there is some sediment now at the bottom. My first Red kit was a Kenridge Showcase Shiraz and I followed the instructions to the letter. However sediment has subsequently dropped in the bottles and although is not a disaster I want to avoid sediment in the bottles with the Merlot.

So I'll definitely do a racking this weekend and add 1/4tsp of sulphites. Then hopefully it shouldn't be dropping any more sediment. I'm going to try and hold off bottling until one year of aging.

Boatboy24's point is interesting as by not racking but adding sulphites you may be adding more sulphites than is necessary. Is testing for sulphite levels easy or do you need expensive equipment?

 

[Floandgary]

Here we get to the science behind the advice. As Jim stated, the amount of SO2 retained in your batch is directly affected by how much it can "breathe". In a barrel there will be breathing through the pores in the wood. SO2 can migrate out and O2 migrate in. Not huge amounts, but enough to necessitate a periodic boost to the SO2. In a carboy with a solid bung or airlock, "breathing" would be minimal to none, provided there are no radical temperature swings. Major loss of SO2 and exposure to O2 comes with racking's (to eliminate sediment). Thus if you see no sediment worth racking for, you could safely presume that a previously established SO2 level (or very close to it) would remain. All of that being said though, the only way to be absolutely sure ALL of the sediments have precipitated (none left to show up in a bottle) is to do a rack-over, at which time you can reestablish your SO2!!! In general most wines clear satisfactorily within a 12 month period. However don't be surprised when you come across one that doesn't know when to quit! OH,,, I'm not a fan, but there's always FILTERING!!

 

[wineforfun]

Here we get to the science behind the advice. As Jim stated, the amount of SO2 retained in your batch is directly affected by how much it can "breathe". In a barrel there will be breathing through the pores in the wood. SO2 can migrate out and O2 migrate in. Not huge amounts, but enough to necessitate a periodic boost to the SO2. In a carboy with a solid bung or airlock, "breathing" would be minimal to none, provided there are no radical temperature swings. Major loss of SO2 and exposure to O2 comes with racking's (to eliminate sediment). Thus if you see no sediment worth racking for, you could safely presume that a previously established SO2 level (or very close to it) would remain. All of that being said though, the only way to be absolutely sure ALL of the sediments have precipitated (none left to show up in a bottle) is to do a rack-over, at which time you can reestablish your SO2!!! In general most wines clear satisfactorily within a 12 month period. However don't be surprised when you come across one that doesn't know when to quit! OH,,, I'm not a fan, but there's always FILTERING!!

So, if I am hearing you correctly, if said wine is under bung/airlock and it is racked, you should probably give it the recommended dose of 1/4 tsp. per 5/6 gal.?

I have been thinking about what Jim wrote and wondered if that was some of the bitterness I was tasting at times, was adding too much kmeta. Maybe it is not needed every racking or at least not a full dose.
Of course I could just be tasting young wine when it is still only a year in bottle.

 

[Boatboy24]

I've never done any testing to see if the theory holds water, but have heard more than 1 person state it. Maybe others who have done some testing over time can chime in. I know @ibglowin does test on his barrels regularly. Maybe he does the carboys as well and can share his experience.

 

[Floandgary]

So, if I am hearing you correctly, if said wine is under bung/airlock and it is racked, you should probably give it the recommended dose of 1/4 tsp. per 5/6 gal.?

I have been thinking about what Jim wrote and wondered if that was some of the bitterness I was tasting at times, was adding too much kmeta. Maybe it is not needed every racking or at least not a full dose.
Of course I could just be tasting young wine when it is still only a year in bottle.

I should have clarified. Dosing at 3-4 month intervals may not be necessary if carboy is sealed with bung or airlock since SO2 level should not suffer. If racking, then renewing SO2 would be in order. On a personal note, I am in the habit of doing light "splash" racking to aid degassing so renewing K-meta is the norm for me. BTW ,, no ill effects or off tastes thus far---- @25 buckets.. Sorry for confusion!

 

[ibglowin]

I have tested both red and white (kit) wines in glass carboys under solid bung for whites and airlock for reds out to 6 months using free SO2 via aeration/oxidation analysis and found that the wines were well within SO2 specs for the pH of the wine. This was without any additional top up dose, just the packet supplied that came with the kit.

Small (23L) barrels will essentially have zero free SO2 after ~12 weeks.

I've never done any testing to see if the theory holds water, but have heard more than 1 person state it. Maybe others who have done some testing over time can chime in. I know @ibglowin does test on his barrels regularly. Maybe he does the carboys as well and can share his experience.

 

[Boatboy24]

I have tested both red and white (kit) wines in glass carboys under solid bung for whites and airlock for reds out to 6 months using free SO2 via aeration/oxidation analysis and found that the wines were well within SO2 specs for the pH of the wine. This was without any additional top up dose, just the packet supplied that came with the kit.

Small (23L) barrels will essentially have zero free SO2 after ~12 weeks.

Just to clarify: did they lose SO2, but remain in spec, or simply not lose much at all.

 

[ibglowin]

Did not do a baseline measurement only did test at 3 and then 6 months. They will lose some free SO2 along the way but are still OK as in no need for an additional top up dose really even at 6 months for the Reds.