WineXpert Time in Secondary

[Trubador]

How long do you think is "OK" to leave a WE Selection
Cabernet in the secondary. Directions say 10
days or as soon as SG has stabilized for at
least 2 days. After this 10 days, it would be time to degas,
clarify and add the K-meta, leave for another 8 days, etc...



Again, question is the 10 days, would it be OK to stretch that to a
month? Or do you think that the contact with the lees would cause
taste issues later on.



Thanks,

Jorma

 

[Wade E]

Trub, I think a month might be stretching it as far as warranty goes
and as far as aging on lees it actually is preferred by winemakers with
white wines but dont about reds.

 

[smurfe]

Do you have a problem where you won't be able to stabilize the wine such as being gone on a trip or something? If you have to do this try to move the carboy to a cool spot such as a basement where the lower temps will slow everything down.


I don't recommend it warranty wise but I have had a few kits that I have had to let sit longer than the directions state with no ill effects. My wife keeps our house ice cold so everything takes longer here with wine making.

 

[maize]

I regularly leave kit wine in the secondary for 2-3 weeks. I can't say I have seen any problems. I left one for 6 weeks - kind of forgot - and it was still good. All of this is in a basement - so temperature is not an issue. I have never been a day counter - my goal is to get the wine bottled in about 6 months after I start it - with the only critical step being the transfer from the primary. Edited by: maize

 

[masta]

30 days on the lees in the secondary is perfectly fine in my book.....done it plenty of times with no issues.

 

[Trubador]

Thanks for the responses. Smurfe hit the nail on the head with the vacation. I was debating whether to get the stabilizing/degassing and subsequent 8 day clearing/and racking to new carboy done prior to the 11th or to let the wine sit on the lees until the 19th/20th when I get back from vacation.


I think judging from all the comments that I would be fine either way, but I decided to just do it, so I stabilized and degassed last night. That means I'll rack to Bulk Aging Carboyon the 9th. I plan to bulk age it for at least 3 months prior to bottle aging.


Incidentally, I took a look at my notes on my Merlot made last december (first wine) and I was a "bad boy"! The wine spent 10 days in the primary, then it spent 24 days in the secondary. I must not have been in a rush! However, I think the wine tastes great

I come from a beer making background and with beer making, there's not much you can do to really screw it up. There is a saying with beer making that may apply to wine as well....


"Relax, Don't worry, have a homebrew"


P.S. I should be bottling my Chardonnay/Semillon soon. It's been in the carboy bulk aging for a little over 2 months now. It's a time shuffle when I can get to it, between the kids, the house chores, work, you know. but hopefully this weekend, it will be bottled and I can sneak a little bit to try and see how it tastes.

 

[Wade E]

The wine was done fermenting before stabilizing right?

 

[Trubador]

The wine was done fermenting before stabilizing right?

yes! Good question.



It had spent 13 days in the secondary and had only the most minimal amount of bubbles on its surface and no airlock activity.

 

[Wade E]

What was the SG?

 

[Trubador]

What was the SG?

0.992



Edited by: Trubador

 

[Wade E]

Now thats done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!