Question

[ellijaywinemaker]

I hear all the time to rack of the lees or bad flavors will develope. But I have been looking at winery web site all over the web and in every state. And most of them just crush ferment press and second ferment on the lees and dont rack again. They let them set from 1 to 3 years on the lees from thee second fermentation And then bottle. So if they do it why cant we and save all that racking time.

 

[Wade E]

I do it mainly because I dont have extensive filter systems to rack it off all at once and not transfer sediment over nor do I let it sit in there that long to compact like that. Lots of them do filter it very coarsley over to where they are going to store it that long so they arent carrying over heavy solids either. Those heavier solids are what can spoil.

 

[winemaker_3352]

A lot of them do a Sur Lee Aging or Battonage - which are not just left there. The fine lees - not gross less - is stirred back into the wine ever so often until the desired taste and then racked off.

 

[ellijaywinemaker]

Thank you I was just wondering.

 

[Catfish]

That's what the winery here does. They don't do any racking. They instruct the home wine makers that buy their juice to do the same. Add sugar, let it sit until New years or so. Then bottle.

 

[Julie]

That's what the winery here does. They don't do any racking. They instruct the home wine makers that buy their juice to do the same. Add sugar, let it sit until New years or so. Then bottle.

Wow this is very interesting. This local winery doesn't suggest taking any hydrometer readings or adding sulfites or sorbate at the end of fermentation?

 

[Wade E]

Add sugar??? Most juices wont even need sugar. They probably up the sugar because they may be stopping the fermentation early on some of their wines to keep it semi sweet. I dont think some of their instructions are in our best interest.

 

[cpfan]

I hear all the time to rack of the lees or bad flavors will develope. But I have been looking at winery web site all over the web and in every state. And most of them just crush ferment press and second ferment on the lees and dont rack again. They let them set from 1 to 3 years on the lees from thee second fermentation And then bottle. So if they do it why cant we and save all that racking time.

I'm not sure that winery web-sites are the best place to be learning how to make wine. I have not seen any winery web-sites that speak seriously about how to make wine.

BTW, I have been in wineries where wine was being pumped from one tank to another at some stage, and the guide mentioned leaving sediment behind.

Can you provide a couple of links to a winery web page that provides "instructions" on how their wine is made? I am interested in what they have said.

Steve

 

[Sirs]

no kidding I'd like to see this

 

[sly22guy]

Also wineries don't make 1 gal - 6 gal batches like we do. Example Basically if you put 1 cup of lemon juice in a 55 gal barrel of water ur not going to taste it but add it to 1 gal of water and you will. I would rack.

 

[Luc]

I hear all the time to rack of the lees or bad flavors will develope.

CAN devellop. Not will.

Good winemaking practice means that you press and then transfer juice to a secondary.
Then let it end fermenting and wiat a few weeks.
Next rack of the sediment and wait a few months.
Then rack again from the fine dust that has formed, and wait again a few months.

Lees might be attacked by bacteria or yeast and can devellop a bad taste and smell.

There are different views on this.

There are grape winemakers that will let the fermentation be done all the way on the pulp. And when done even let the wine sit longer on the pulp. Even for some weeks. Extended maceraration this is called.

Then they press and transfer to secondary.

There are grape winemakers that let their wine sit on the fine lees form many months. Stirring regularly. Sur-Lie gaingb this is called and will give the wine a feeling of sweetness (while it is not) and give the wine more mouthfeel.

Both methods are used in grape winemaking.
They should be used when you exactly know what you are doing.

If your new to winemaking rack every few months and then bottle.

When your experienced try experimenting and see what works for you.

Luc

 

[Wade E]

That stirring up the lees is a practice used lot in Chardonnays and actually gives them a buttery flavor and slight viscousity improvement.