Other Wine from 1st racking

[MDWines]

I just finished racking my second kit. I made sure that I had filled the primary bucket to the appropriate level during stage 1 of fermentation. I siphoned off about a 1/2 bottle of wine before transferring. Good thing because my carboy is full. Should I save the siphoned wine for topping off lateror should I dispose of it?

 

[ibglowin]

Are you sure you cant fit it into your carboy?

If so, put it into an appropriate size bottle and get an airlock on it and save it. After you transfer off the gross lees in ~ day 20 you can then add that back in.

Something doesn't sound right, you should have had enough room to transfer it all especially if your using the newer Italian carboy.

 

[MDWines]

Absolutely positive. I had to add 3 bags of wood chips. The carboy full below the neck. I didn't even get all the sediment in the carboy. I have about a 1/2 of a wine bottle extra.


I don't have an extra airlock.

 

[robie]

Please let us know what kit you are writing about. It give a better perspective for answering.

 

[xanxer82]

Hold the wine in a bottle and use it to top off. a number 2 or 3 stopper with an airlock should work. or a balloon if you don't have anything else yet.The next time you rack you'll be able to add it.

 

[Bartman]

If you plan on bulk aging what you have just racked, I would recommend racking again in 2-3 weeks and adding the left-over at that time, and then bulk aging. I had some left-over like you are talking about from a kit a couple years ago, saved it in a bottle with a vacuum seal that apparently wasn't tight, and it turned into nasty smelling stuff after three months that I threw out.
If I had used it within a few weeks (as I am suggesting now) I expect it would not have gotten so bad, but no guarantees - that's part of the adventure, right?