Steps to fine-tune post-fermentation development?

[Machine]

Picked grapes from garden, cold macerated for about 3 weeks, 8 litres into fermenting bucket, sugar added to get SG up to 1.095-1.10, acidity adjusted downward, tannin adjusted upward, campden added, day or two later added 1/2 dose of yeast nutrient and then hydrated some RC-212 and we were off to the races. Made it down to 0.995, racked to 1-gallon demi and half-gallon decanter, and had 2 cups extra wine that I filtered and put in the freezer to use for topping up subsequent rackings. Two days later racked the 1-gallon off the yeast and sediment into another 1-gallon demi, used freezer wine to top it up to within 1 inch of air lock, and now its sitting in the basement.

Took a look at 1-gallon a day after second racking, still lots of light coloured goodies on the bottom. The 1/2 gallon decanter is a wide bottom vessel filled with wine into the neck almost up to the air lock, but this was filled from the bottom third of the fermenting bucket so has a LOT of sediment. I haven't re-racked this yet because I don't have another adequate vessel...will probably be 1/4 gallon or so after I rack of the substantial sediment.

Sooooo....racking and fining opinions seem to vary widely. I would like the wine to be as flavourful as possible without imparting any negative flavours (from dead yeast, for example). Suggestions on how often to rack the 1-gallon? How to fine (or whether I should fine) once wine has been racked several times? How close the top of the wine should be to the bottom of the air lock during this aging stage? Any rush to get it in bottles (I do have some oak chips in there, so would prefer to leave it on the oak until its taken on some flavour)?

And for that half-gallon in the decanter, I could leave it like it is and see how it turns out, but it has an awful lot of primary sediment/yeast in it (only racked from bucket into decanter)...is it worth a try, just to see how it turns out? I figured after I rack the 1-gallon again I might have to use some wine from the 1/2 gallon to top the 1-gallon so might have to bite bullet and rack the 1/2 gallon off the sediment at some point soon anyway...in which case I'll probably just sample it or maybe just try to filter it somehow and bottle it.

Thanks in advance,
Anthony

 

[salcoco]

wine should be racked off of gross lees as these are made up of dead yeast and can impart a flavor to the wine most notably rotten eggs. My rule was press, rack after three days, rack after three weeks, rack after three months, Kmeta at three day racking, add oak at three week racking. Most lees should be gone at three week racking. if wine not clear at three month period add fining agents.

 

[jswordy]

sal, you rack like I do and I always get grief from people who say I am pulling it off the lees too soon. I do know that I have racked some wines after 2 HOURS in the first secondary carboy because of lee buildup, and that quick racking did help them clear really fast. Appreciate your insights.

 

[Machine]

well I think I'll try to find a container the right size to hold whatever will come out of the 1/2 gallon decanter, since it looks like about 25% lees, and they are indeed gross. will leave fine lees in the 1-gallon for now. Also probably going to have to find a way to reduce acidity later, I think I only got it down to 8 or maybe 7.5 before primary. Didn't test PH. Seems like almost all instructions I found online or with kits missed several steps that seem like they're pretty pivotal.

 

[jethro]

Great! It's good to know I can still add oak, since I haven't got to the 3-week racking yet. Thanks, sal and Jim.

 

[Machine]

Even though I'm referring to gross lees, the first step I took after primary was to pour the must through the nylon bag I had the grapes in, and then press what I could out of the bag, all through a sterilized strainer and into a sterilized stock pot, and then I racked into the carboy and decanter, so maybe gross lees were largely left behind in the nylon back before the first racking? Regardless, I have since racked the 1-gallon container into another 1-gallon, so only sitting on fine lees at this point. Decanter wine still sitting on gross lees, but might put an end to that tonight if I can find a half-gallon glass bottle lying around.

 

[Stressbaby]

Two wine bottles might work...

 

[Machine]

Two wine bottles might work...

Yep, but I don't think my airlock will fit on a wine bottle. Maybe an empty magnum?

 

[salcoco]

the three day rack off of gross lees was one of the first lessons learned many years ago when I developed the most rotten egg wine available. Even then I still made some later on vintages of the same wine. I then read somewhere the time table I mentioned. One additional rule should possibly be allowed, if you plan MLF do so after the three day racking since the fine lees are required.

Remember" you can only make good wine after having made some bad wine" forums like this were not around when I first started winemaking so you learned by your own mistakes. Paying attention to the advise here should save a lot of heartache.