Finer Wine Kit When Does The Aging Clock Start?

[Len]

I'm the first to admit I may be overthinking this but I feel like I'm missing something I should know.
My Chardonnay kit instructions says the wine should be aged 4-6 months. Got that.
However, I don't have a clear understanding about when the clock starts. For example, I pitch the yeast on 7/1, rack to a carboy on 7/16, rack again on 8/30 and bottle on 12/1. Or does it start when I bottle it?
Am I supposed to wait until April or June to drink it or did the clock start earlier on, say like the 8/30 date?
Does anyone have a guideline on this?
Many thanks for any advice,
-Len

 

[Ohio Bob]

White wines are generally pretty close to their final taste relatively quickly. I think aging a white 4-6 months after bottling is a rather long time to wait. Keep good notes and see if your wine changes.

 

[ChuckD]

I start the clock after fermentation is done and it’s off the gross lees… then it’s bulk aging.

 

[winemaker81]

The time frame for aging kits is vague, and the kit instructions typically call for a 4 to 8 week duration from start to bottling. Regardless of individual preference, I suspect the kit instructions mean 4 to 6 months from the start. Kit vendors keep things as simple as possible, and the audience for kit instructions is beginners who have no experienced help. It's not good business to complicate things any more than necessary.

My suggestion is to open a bottle 2 months after bottling and taste it. If YOU are happy, it's drinkable.

 

[Hazelemere]

I'm the first to admit I may be overthinking this but I feel like I'm missing something I should know.
My Chardonnay kit instructions says the wine should be aged 4-6 months. Got that.
However, I don't have a clear understanding about when the clock starts. For example, I pitch the yeast on 7/1, rack to a carboy on 7/16, rack again on 8/30 and bottle on 12/1. Or does it start when I bottle it?
Am I supposed to wait until April or June to drink it or did the clock start earlier on, say like the 8/30 date?
Does anyone have a guideline on this?
Many thanks for any advice,
-Len

clock starts on 8/30

 

[Tripled92]

I'm the first to admit I may be overthinking this but I feel like I'm missing something I should know.
My Chardonnay kit instructions says the wine should be aged 4-6 months. Got that.
However, I don't have a clear understanding about when the clock starts. For example, I pitch the yeast on 7/1, rack to a carboy on 7/16, rack again on 8/30 and bottle on 12/1. Or does it start when I bottle it?
Am I supposed to wait until April or June to drink it or did the clock start earlier on, say like the 8/30 date?
Does anyone have a guideline on this?
Many thanks for any advice,
-Len

We start our clock as soon as we bottle the wine. Which around 9 weeks before we bottle then we start the clock.

I could be wrong but I think technically” “the clock starts once you put it in the carboy.

 

[Mekpdue]

For kits, my aging clock starts after secondary fermentation is complete. 7/16 on your dates. For reds the yeast have done their job, clearing agents are added from here we wait, with one more (min) racking at 8/30. For whites, after fermentation and secondary are done, again 2 weeks, you’ll add the clearing agents and Sorbate and flavor packs and await clearing…that’s aging.

 

[winemaker81]

@Len, in re-reading this thread, I realized you need a better answer.

First -- there's no such thing as an "aging clock", as in some time frame in which a wine will be ready to drink. Every wine is different so they all age differently. Kit vendors provide an estimate of when the wine will be drinkable, and it's generally a short time frame as very few would buy the kit if the instructions said "ready to drink in 36 months".

Second -- bulk aging. Kits are designed to suck newbies in, and the faster they drink the wine, the faster they buy another kit. So kits are designed for bottling in 4 to 8 weeks, and this works.

But it's far from best. I was originally taught to never bottle a wine before 4 months of age, and practical experience has proven that to be valid. Wines go through a lot of chemical changes in the first 4-12 months, and having the wine do that as a single unit produces the best and most consistent wine. My personal guidelines:

light whites, light fruits, light reds: bulk age 4-6 months
heavy whites, medium fruits, medium reds: bulk age 6-9 months
heavy reds: bulk age 9-12+ months.

These are guidelines, not rules, e.g., the last Chardonnay kit I made was bulk aged 7 months. It was a combination of thinking it needed a bit more time and finding free time to bottle it.

You bottled your Chardonnay at 5 months, which is a good range.

Now let the wine and your own tastes decide when it's drinkable. I suggest you open a bottle 2 months after bottling. Taste it critically and record your impressions. Put those notes away.

If you're happy with it, drink it, and if you think it needs more time, wait. Don't worry about anyone else's opinion on the subject.

Beyond that, I suggest you open a bottle every 2-3 months and taste it critically, again recording your notes and putting them away. After 12 months, read the notes from first to last. It will teach you a lot about how wine ages.

Plus it's fun.

 

[Rice_Guy]

Agreed there isn’t an age clock. Wine is a high ReDox potential liquid which sees a decrease in reductive chemistry/ increase in oxidation as we manipulate it. One question is how sloppy were you with oxygen exposure? Age here is starting when exposed to air and the clock runs faster with more exposure. ,, Another question deals with clarity. Grape solids naturally settle into the lees pretty well over half a year to year. Kits add fining agents which speed clarification. The ageing clock (ie when ready to bottle) is a function of how much bentonite or chitin etc. BUT, kits have a lot of bigger solids pulled out before the vacuum evaporator, ,,, did the aging clock start in the factory then?

… there are several events by which we can calendar a wine. Some are positive and some to be avoided.

 

[Len]

Thank you all for your responses. I think I have a better understanding of the kit wine making process.
I'm pleased with the results on my Chardonnay. It's clear and enjoyable.
I'm currently bulk aging "Enigma" and "FWK Pino Noir" without using any fining agents, so I'm giving them more time.
I do really appreciate all of the input I get from this forum and your responses. This is an interesting and enjoyable hobby.
-Len