wine not fermenting in 4 days!!!!!

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The first time I bottled I let them stand before I put them on the rack but this year I had 340 so wanted to get rid of that step.
I was told to filter and let sit for a couple days and then bottle and stand straight then lay them down.

I just filtered to bottles and laid them down right away this time. They seem to be ok I’m checking them everyday
 
The first time I bottled I let them stand before I put them on the rack but this year I had 340 so wanted to get rid of that step.
I was told to filter and let sit for a couple days and then bottle and stand straight then lay them down.

I just filtered to bottles and laid them down right away this time. They seem to be ok I’m checking them everyday

I hear you, you don't know how badly I want to skip that step as well. I'm sure they will be fine.
 
I’m wondering also what happens if you use a cork for longer then expected? My corks are good for up to two years but I’m guessing this wine will last me 3. Will it eventually start leaking and I will need to re cork?
 
Anybody in here adds sulfites to their wine before bottling? I never did it and I don’t like adding much to my wine. The only time I add it is before I start my fermentation.
 
Anybody in here adds sulfites to their wine before bottling? I never did it and I don’t like adding much to my wine. The only time I add it is before I start my fermentation.

Yes, I add sulfited to my wine, on a very regular schedule. I never add sulfite to my grape must before fermentation, as it can inhibit malolactic fermentation. Post AF and MLF, my wine is sulfited, barreled, and aged for some two years, topped up and sulfite adjusted regularly during that time. At bottling time, my sulfite level is adjusted to the recommended level, based upon its pH, and bottled.
 
How long do you age your wine for? Just the two years and then you drink it? And what kind of ph meter do you use?
 
How long do you age your wine for? Just the two years and then you drink it? And what kind of ph meter do you use?

Times vary slightly, but I'll give you a general timeline for my process, others do it differently. The grape wines in my cellar now went through 6 and 12 gallon barrels, my first wine from the 30 gallon barrel is ready to come out, and my first wine from the 60 gallon barrel is due out in a year. Grapes usually received in early October and are finished AF and pressed by the end of October, MLF finishes in November, wine is sulfited in December and goes into barrel(s). Wine sits in barrels two years (bit longer or shorter depending upon oak levels) before coming out and back into carboys. Wine from the smaller barrels only sat 6 months. It might sit in carboys a month or two before being bottled to settle / clear in case any sediment was siphoned out of the barrel during removal. At that point, drinking it is an option depending upon its development, but there are a lot of bottles (150 come out of the 30 gallon barrel and 300 from the 60, as opposed to the small barrels which only have 30 - 60).

My first grape wines, aged in the smaller barrels, are four years old, and I still have 10 - 15 of each wine left. More left of the 2016's and 17's. I made a lot of different wines in 15 and 16, there's plenty left. Now, doing only one big barrel per year, I'll still have quantity, but not as much variety.

As far as pH, I use the Vinmetrica system for all of my testing, pH, TA, SO2, etc. Have had it since 2015, take good care of the probes, replace the reagents yearly, and have only had to change batteries thus far. Well worth the money spent in my case.
 
That’s a very busy process. I just started making two different kinds and want to age them for around 2-3 years since they are whites. But my next step for next year would be to look into testing ph and acidity and also adding the proper amount of sulfites. I’ve got some reading to do
 
That’s a very busy process. I just started making two different kinds and want to age them for around 2-3 years since they are whites. But my next step for next year would be to look into testing ph and acidity and also adding the proper amount of sulfites. I’ve got some reading to do

Probably sounds a lot worse than it really is, really don’t mess with it much during the two years. The only time involved is the early stuff, crush, ferment and press, a racking or two, then bottling a couple years later. The rest is just a few minutes a month to top up and sulfite.
 
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