Regarding bulk ageing

[Drez]

I have a Chianti kit aging, will be "ready" to bottle early December. I intend to bulk age it. I was going to rack it down again and remove the bulk of the sediment to help improve clarity some. Is there anything wrong with doing it this way?

Is it better to just add some K Met and leave it in the secondary w/ all the sediment for bulk ageing or can I proceed with my plan to rack it down, remove heavy sediment, add some K met, account for the volume lost and bulk age it.

Thanks

 

[winemaker_3352]

I would rack it off the sediment - let it sit another month - and see if there is anymore sediment dropping out.

 

[JohnT]

I strongly recommend that you rack out as much sediment as possible. Unless you plan on aging sur lee (in which case, you should be stirring your wine rather often), dead yeast can/will cause a variety of problems.

I bulk age all of my wines for at least 2 years. During the first year, I rack 4 times at a minimum. I find that racking is not really as important during the second year (might do one racking more to tase and see how well the wine is progressing). Other than "wine stone" I find that the amount of sediment forming in that second year is rather minimal.

 

[Drez]

Thanks for the prompt reply! That answers my questions perfectly. Glad to hear I wasn't off base.

Wow all your wine age 2 years, your a man of greater will than I. I had a hard time waiting a mere 6 months before wanting to sample, but I'm trying to be better

 

[jtstar]

I only made it eight months before I had to open a bottle

 

[JohnT]

I also only make wine once a year, although some years I do a Chilean in june.

I got myself on a two year cycle 18 years ago by making a large amount that could carry me two years.

Now, I bottle every year, but with wine that is 2 years old.

The clarity and the softness are worth the wait.

 

[Drez]

I also only make wine once a year, although some years I do a Chilean in june.

I got myself on a two year cycle 18 years ago by making a large amount that could carry me two years.

Now, I bottle every year, but with wine that is 2 years old.

The clarity and the softness are worth the wait.

Im trying to do a similar thing right now in going nuts and overproducing so that I can be on top of it and allow things to age to potential better but I fear my wife thinks Im getting out of hand haha

 

[djrockinsteve]

Im trying to do a similar thing right now in going nuts and overproducing so that I can be on top of it and allow things to age to potential better but I fear my wife thinks Im getting out of hand haha

You are not the only one. Finally we are up to drinking some two year old reds. Big difference from just a year.