Rerack limits?

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bowhunter32

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I have a numerous amout of wines going on about a year and a half of reracking every 3 months with 1/4tsp k meta each time waiting for bottles to free up. Is there an amount of reracking like this that becomes too many?

Thanks
 
Are they still dropping sediment? I really doubt it so it’s likely unnecessary if not detrimental at this point. After about 9 months (or 2-3 rackings) I leave it with a silicone bung until bottling which might be up to 6 more months.
 
I have a numerous amout of wines going on about a year and a half of reracking every 3 months with 1/4tsp k meta each time waiting for bottles to free up. Is there an amount of reracking like this that becomes too many?

Thanks

The 1/4 tsp per 6 gallon carboy every 3 months is a “rule of thumb” for those without the ability to test their sulfite. Might be time to get some testing equipment. Racking is the activity we undertake to separate undesirable precipitate from our wine. Once the vast majority of the sediment has dropped out of your wine (normally in the first or second 3 month racking), there is little need to rack off of a “light dusting” of precipitate. Even sitting a year in this state isn’t an issue. You can sulfite without racking.

If you don’t rack, maintain well sealed carboys, and aren’t constantly fiddling around with your wine, you can most likely go 6 months before boosting your sulfite. If your wine is free of sediment and CO2 after a year, and you’ve made all of the necessary adjustments, additions, oaking, etc., it’s probably time to go ahead and bottle and let the wine begin the bottle aging process. Remember also that some of your sulfite becomes bound as it does it’s job, and never goes away, I know bound SO2 will affect MLF, don’t know about taste, imagine that a lot could become bound over that time.

For me, bulk storage is just a part of the winemaking process, getting a little age and development so final adjustments can be made before bottling, not a long term aging or storage solution.
 
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