Cellar Craft shelf life for CC kit? do I need to add sulfites??

[TimTheWiner]

So my CC Late Harvest Riesling is ready to be bottled any time now, been bulk aging for about 3 months. My wife and I are trying to conceive, so a lot of wine that I am currently making may not be enjoyed for at least a year from now. I would really like a 2ish year shelf life, but I am worried that this may not be possible. Can I add more sulfites (potassium metabisulfate I would imagine) to lengthen the shelf life and if so how much should I be adding to a 6 gallon carboy?? Thanks much (and would I need to add more/less when making a red wine?)

 

[ibglowin]

Its all guesswork without proper tools to measure pH and SO2. A white will need lots more SO2 than a red to properly protect it. Problem is if you add too much sulfite then your wine will taste like sulfite for a long, long time. Whites and especially Rielsing are susceptible to sulfite oder. I would add a usual top up dosage if your ready to bottle now. That is typically 1/8 tsp. Nothing more.

 

[TimTheWiner]

What kind of tools would I need to measure and where can they be purchase? Costly or worth it in the long run?? Amazed that 1/8 tsp is enough for 6 gallons but I sure wouldn't want to overdo it. I racked back in April and just sitting since they (havent added any sulfites since either). I can bottle immediately but waiting to decide if I should filter or not. I just want to be sure it will be good for 1.5-3 years.

 

[ibglowin]

pH meter to check pH and if you do any fresh fruit someday you can use it to test for TA.
SO2 tester (Vinemetrica for the average Joe)

All worthwhile if you are 100% sure you will stay at this for life.

The normal Sulfite dose in your kit instructions is 1/8-1/4 tsp every 3-4 months so your due for a top up dose either way. If you have the ability to filter by all means do it. Just make sure the wine is clear and free of sediment beforehand.

 

[dmulligan]

My LBHS instructed me that I don't need to add the extra sulfite because we live in a cooler climate and at high altitude. Most of his advice has been spot on but this one I am starting to question. Is there any truth to it?

I always age most of my wine for the recommended 6 to 18 months depending on the kit. The bottles that do get opened early aren't usually that far off. I like to buy 4 or 6 week kits to distract myself from the 8 week or limited edition kits to let them age.

The question I am looking to answer is: do I just add the amount of potassium sulfite that the kit manufacturer recommends (but does not include with the kit) or do I buy a Vinmetrica tester?

I also make cider from apples so the tester might be helpful with that too.

Thanks,
David

 

[ibglowin]

I live at 6500ft elevation in a cooler climate and I have had several batches of white wines oxidize within 18mo that I did not have tools to test for proper SO2 levels and just "guessimated". The Vinemetrica is a great tool but its not cheap. Only you can decide if its in your budget and if you will stay with winemaking for the duration to make the investment payoff in the long run.

 

[TimTheWiner]

I see it being worth the investment but I need a break. Currently spending about $300ish every few months and trying to save $$ right now. A bit confused on the Vinmetrica site when it says "about $1/test". So do I have to spend $385 on a new machine after x amount of tests??

 

[wineutopia]

My wife and I are trying to conceive, so a lot of wine that I am currently making may not be enjoyed for at least a year from now.

Ha ha when my wife and I were trying to conceive we burnt through A LOT of wine.

 

[dmulligan]

Ha ha when my wife and I were trying to conceive we burnt through A LOT of wine.

Sounds rough. We didn't have that problem

 

[ibglowin]

If you already have a pH meter you can just buy the SO2 analyzer for $245, if you don't have a pH meter it you could get the Cadillac version with one built in and have it all in one.

That $1 per analysis is cost for reagents (chemicals). You will have to purchase reagents from these guys to run each analysis.

I see it being worth the investment but I need a break. Currently spending about $300ish every few months and trying to save $$ right now. A bit confused on the Vinmetrica site when it says "about $1/test". So do I have to spend $385 on a new machine after x amount of tests??

 

[TimTheWiner]

Ok, I don't even have a pH kit yet (only for my aquarium lol), but I hafta wait a few months since I am dumping a few hundred on a sink now. I imagine I could just add a top-up dose and bulk age for a few months and then get the tester and bottle later.

 

[ibglowin]

Sounds like a plan.

 

[dmulligan]

I live at 6500ft elevation in a cooler climate and I have had several batches of white wines oxidize within 18mo that I did not have tools to test for proper SO2 levels and just "guessimated". The Vinemetrica is a great tool but its not cheap. Only you can decide if its in your budget and if you will stay with winemaking for the duration to make the investment payoff in the long run.

Thank you. This helped me to pull the trigger. I also went for an all in one pump. This has been an expensive wine week.

David

 

[ibglowin]

Trust me most of us have had them! (expensive wine making weeks) I think you will be pleased with both. Lots of support on this site for sure.

 

[dmulligan]

Trust me most of us have had them! (expensive wine making weeks) I think you will be pleased with both. Lots of support on this site for sure.

You people are all enablers!

Next I have to get my sanitation situation understood better. I've been using Asceptox (same as One Step) as both a cleanser and sanitizer. It is also expensive so I don't have a sink full of it with my equipment sanitizing between steps and batches (being worked on at the same time). Cleaning and sanitizing takes way more time than anything else and I need to both improve and accelerate my procedures.

David

 

[dmulligan]

Ok. I have my SC-300 now. Tim V wrote an article in which he said that kit wines should have a target of 35 to 50 ppm of free so2. Is that a good target or is there more to it?

I still have to wait for my all in one pump before I will rack again. I've got 4 carboys with 2 WE blackberry port, a CC Gewurtzraminer/Viognier and a CC Marsanne Viognier Roussanne and I want to make sure they are as good as I can make them before bottling.

David

 

[ibglowin]

SO2 level is based on pH first and foremost. You need to check your pH and then and only then can you determine what level of SO2 is needed to protect the wine.

 

[TimTheWiner]

I REALLY want to bottle the Riesling this weekend especially since my whole house filters are in. Are there "cheap" paper tests or similar than can be bought at a LHBS? Also if I possibly didn't do the "top-up" dose a few months ago is the wine ruined?? It tasted ok to me last week.

 

[ibglowin]

Are you saying "you don't know" if you added a top up dose? If you can't remember I would add 1/8tsp.

There are test strips for SO2 but they are about as accurate as throwing a dart at a dart board IMHO.

As long as your wine is clear and free of sediment you can bottle. If your going to use a whole house filter setup then you need to remember that you will be running your sulfite solution through the setup to sanitize the lines and filter. The residue of Sulfite solution that is left in the filter and lines will raise the SO2 levels in the wine about 8-12ppm depending on how much you leave in or let drain out.

With that said you may not need any top up dose. You will never know without proper testing equipment.

Your wine will not be ruined if it doesn't get what is needed SO2 wise, it my turn brown early however if the level isn't sufficient to protect the wine down the road.

You don't want to over sulfite either. You will have a nice protected wine but also a wine that may smell and taste like sulfur. Not a pleasant note in a white wine!

 

[TimTheWiner]

I am still at a loss for what to do. I want to get this racked, filtered, and bottled. I DO NOT have the $$ for anything over $50 in regards to a SO2 test kit, pH test kit, etc. (especially since I dumped about $300 into my sink setup this month). I can confirm that after adding clarifiers, stabilizers, in March I have NOT sulfited since then (ouch). So I think I am going to go ahead and add 1/2 tsp to the 6 gallon carboy. I don't know if I should just go ahead and bottle, or wait and get a "cheap" test kit if it exists. I was contemplating adding glycerin to the batch as well, but being a bit sweeter than I would prefer already I don't know that I want to stand the chance of making it any sweeter.