Sulphite and short bulk age.

[jondavidkenney]

Hello everyone, I am at the point in my first wine kit of WE California trinity red where the wine has cleared for 14 days and directions say to bottle or keep in carboy. I plan on racking to a carboy and bulk ageing for one month to allow wine to continue to drop sediment and age, after this I will bottle and wait at least two months before I try the first bottle. My question is when to add sulphite. Should I add the suggested 1/4 tsp (if ageing more than 6 months) when racking to the new carboy or wait to add it before bottling in a month or so? The reason I ask is 14 days ago when I stabilized I added the pack included in the kit and I read here it’s only needed every 3-5 months. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

 

[salcoco]

If I understand correctly you have added sulphite once already. I would rack in three weeks and then wait three months before racking again and bottling. I would add sulphite at the end of the three weeks.

 

[jondavidkenney]

Thanks salcoco, I was a little unclear. I need to rack off the lees this weekend since it’s been two weeks since I ended secondary fermentation and initiated the stabilization and clarifying stage(added sulfites/sorbates/clarifying agent). I will take your advice and age in a carboy for three months. Should I add sulfite when racking off the lees this weekend or after the three month ageing before bottling?

 

[salcoco]

add sulphites after racking of the lees now then also later.