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Teamsterjohn

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Im pretty sure im right on my thinking here but want to make sure. Im doing the MM kit listed below. I just racked to my carboy, degassed and added the sulfite. Im about less then one quart of wine to reach the neck on the carboy. Im going to add the potassium sorbate in 7 to 10 days. For now, am I ok in being that quart short? Then in 10 days when I add the sorbate I will top off then with a red wine.
 
Hiya John,

If everything else is done.. I'd top it up now. I don't like big gaps in my carboys.. and a quart is almost a full litre.

:bt
 
I agree. Once the wine is de-gassed you need to keep it topped up.
 
I dont think 10 days is going to cause any harm at all but not sure why you would even bother waiting unless you are just low on cash to buy a bottle.
 
Not low on cash. I added a bottle to it this morning... After you degas the wine, it needs to be topped off. I didn't no that.I just though that I had some time. that's why I asked, and I learned something today...
 
You really do but why take the chance cause every batch has a different threshold of how much oxidation it can withstand. You are nowhere near that threshold right now but say you leave it like that now being low in the carboy for awhile then eventually top it up. Then a few months down the road while bulk aging the bung pops out exposing it to more 02, if it hadnt been exposed before to the 02 it might have survived but since it already had some exposure this just might take it over the edge.
 
ok, I understand now. If I didn't degas, then I would of be ok, but since I did degas, I needed to top it off. I added the sorbate also this morning. Im about 1 and a half inches from the bung. Im good to let it age in there for the next 3 month's. Thank you
 
Top off now, there's no gain in waiting, too much to lose. :b
 
just add a like wine rather than water. Then you can DRINK andthing that didnt make it in the carboy
:dg :dg :dg
 
Sorry to dig up an old thread. I am making my first red wine (Kenridge Classic Valpolicella). I am not going to top off with water. When people say a like wine, I'm sure they mean a commercial Valpolicella. Would it be better to top off with a house red wine (not knowing the grape variety) over water? I have the house red to use and don't really wanna go out and buy a Valp to top off. I plan on topping off with the red unless someone gives me a good reason not to. If I was making a high-end kits (En Premier, Cru Select) I would buy they same kind, but not for a middle to lower rung on the ladder.

I'm guessing it goes like this:
BEST - top off with same type of wine (eg. Valpolicella to top off Valpolicella)
MIDDLE - top off with red wine
WORST - top off with water

Thanks
 

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