The "age" old question....when to bottle

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KAPLANMT

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KIT - WE Sel Original: Pino Noir 0623609 0331

OK so I'm doing my best on waiting to bottle, and following WADE's recommendation to bulk age 6-8 months. I made a minor newbie mistake, which my gut tells me is no big deal if dealt with ASAP and a couple questions

I am about 30 days past the ideal time to and another 1/4tsp. of K-meta. I did this during the last racking which I count as the onset of the first three months of bulk aging..... please confirm that this should not be a huge impact in a clean cellar with a undisturbed carboy and tight airlock. Also, when I add the second dose of kmeta should I re-rack or just drop it in and stir? I would think re-racking would be the preferred method, but I have virtually no sediment in the bottom so I do not know if it's necessary.

Once adding the second dose of kmeta could you bottle immediately our should you continue to bulk age till 6 months. Assuming you ride out the 6 months, do you add more kmeta before bottling?

One observation, I am using a better bottle and noticed that due to the bottles pliability, you can lightly squeeze air out of the bottle for a tight vacuum, is this ok to do (my thought is it eliminates all air in the container) or do you just leave it by under normal conditions? I have not messed with it and left things under normal conditions (aka w/o vacuum), but curiosity is getting the best of me and guidance would be appreciated.

Thanks for reading through all these questions/concerns... insight is always appreciated
 
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I usually add the 1/4 tsp of meta every 3 - 4 months but if you are off by a few weeks thats nothing at all to be worried about at all. Are you using a solid bung? If so you may or may not eed the S02 additions as its a sealed container which wone let any gases release to a point. Its also an environment that is a recipe for disaster if you ask me. Ive heard too many people say that during a storm where the barometric pressure changed that the solid bung popped out and they dont know how long the wine was exposed.
 
Thankd wade. I am assuming it's not a solid bung as it is made of a ruber/silcon with a 3-piece airlock on it filled to the appropriate level with a kmeta solution
 
Ok so its not a solid bung but not sure what you mean by under vacuum then.
 
One observation, I am using a better bottle and noticed that due to the bottles pliability, you can lightly squeeze air out of the bottle for a tight vacuum, is this ok to do (my thought is it eliminates all air in the container) or do you just leave it by under normal conditions? I have not messed with it and left things under normal conditions (aka w/o vacuum), but curiosity is getting the best of me and guidance would be appreciated.

yeah, in my experience if I squeeze a better bottle that is capped with a bung and 3 piece airlock it will equalize pressure by drawing fluid out of the airlock. I try to avoid that.
 
Well thats not a vacuum. There is no need for that. Just keep the airlock full :dg
 
its a vacuum for a short time, until the bottle pulls fluid out of the airlock and into the wine. Which is not good. Dont squeeze better bottles was my general thought above.
 
Ive actually heard of people sqeezing the air out and then using a solid bung or a bungee cord to keep the better bottle from forming back to its shape. I think they do that mainly to rid the wine of tto much head space.
 
Ooops.

I read that some add 1/4 tsp of potassium metabisulfite every 3-4 months as the wine ages. Ooops - I don't. I add 1/4 tsp after clearing the wine, and then I bulk age in carboys with a fermentation lock filled with vodka - for 18 months. I have never had any spoilage issues. But perhaps I am doing this incorrectly.

I generally bottle around 18 months - and I add 1/4 tsp of potassium metabisulfite at that time to the bottling bucket.

Hmmm.

Brad
 
My question is why? You are taking a big chance that you can ruin your wine. Sulfite levels are important.
 
Why?

Because I don't know any better!?

The instructions say "add 1/4 tsp PM if planning to hold for more than 6 months" - or something like this.

Popular lore suggests adding smaller and smaller amounts of potassium metabisulfite with progressive rackings every 3-4 months - say 1/8 tsp at 4 months, then 1/16 at 8 months. However, I found that progressive rackings did nothing but waste my time. So I just let the wine sit.

I don't claim any special knowledge. All I can say is that I have never had a spoilage problem doing it this way.

My main job is data-based, science-based. Much of wine making seems to be anecdotal. In my individual experience, adding PM between clearing and bottling (separated by 18 months) is unnecessary. I don't claim that I have any data beyond my own experience.

Do you?

Brad
 
In most kit wines I don't think you don't get the amount of sediment compared to fruit wines, so racking is not as necessary when bulk aging, and if you don't rack, you shouldn't have to add any more Kmeta.
 

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