Wine SO2 & Acid Tests

[palomewok]

I reracked for the second time my wine today, I have 10 gal of merlot and 10 of Cab. First rerack was on November last year. I decided to do a few test so I can see where am I at. I used the Titrets Kit for free SO2 and I did an Acid test also, since I wanted to do MLF. But after going the measurements (wich were pretty hard to make) I am not sure anymore.
For example my first Cabernet after adding wine to the solution it started getting a little bit redish at a 100 ppm similar to my sample color when it was around the 40 ppm, after adding some more got more clear (around the 35 and 30ppm)
My other wines got the following lectures:

cabernet two: 100 ppm dark Blue
70 ppm Some redish
55 ppm more similar to my sample color

Merlot three: 100 ppm dark blue
70 ppm dark redish
60 ppm similar to sample color.

Merlot four: 100 blue
after 70 is gettin very clear red veru similar to sample color.

My question is, After all these different readings, I just dont know where to aim in terms of the free So2 for each kind of wine. Is it high for this kind of wines? should I reduce it or increase it in some of them? what is a desirable rate. Do I still have time and low levels for MLF?
On the Acid test my readings were under the normal parameters for reds:
TA 6.0 g/L = 0.60%.
pp+ Sulfuric: 3.9 - 4.2

My hydrometer is reading between 1.000 and 1.002 in the 4 carboys. wich tells me there is no fermentation at all going on.

Im planning to bottle in April, I would like to add some extra sugar in some, how much do you guys recommend just to enhance grape flavors? and when to do it according to my bottling plan.
I also would like to know when is a good time for degassing the wine, just before bottling? I am aware I might gonna have to add some potassium sorbate prior this process.
Suggestions are very welcome, and thanks in advance!

PS: Is there in the Pittsburgh area any Wine Club? I would like to join any very much!!

 

[jtstar]

I am sure you will find a club in PA somewhere we have a lot of members that are located in your state, I do believe if you scroll down on the home page you will find a thread where some of the PA members are having a meeting in the near future

 

[Tom]

was this Juice or a kit?
If juice its to early to bottle
Whats the temp? I bet its cool. gravity S/B .990 by now. Warm the must up.

 

[palomewok]

It is juice, both marlot and cab, I started the entire process in September, reracked in Novemeber, Reracked yesterday, and i was planning on bottling in April, how much time do you think it need prior bott? I keep my wine in the basement, i will raise the temp then a few degrees.

 

[djrockinsteve]

You can degass anytime but it is advantageous to do so at first racking to aide the wine in it's clearing. Sulfite levels should be around 30-40 at bottling. It will decrease over time. I add 1/4 teaspoon at first racking. If this is a Regina wine they come 100ppm from the vinyard. After the wine has cleared I add a pinch of sulfite and age.

Your reds should really age a year. Like to said it's too early to bottle. It still has to mello all the acids and start to mature. You can bottle and drink now but I'm sure you would be disappointed and the wine would not get to it's full potential.

I add oak to many of my wines after it's cleared and I leave the oak in till a few weeks before I bottle.

You can use inverted sugar to back sweeten your reds to bring out the grape flavor. Everyones tastes are different but many of mine are sweetened to .996-.998 You only need a bit to really jump the flavor.

I use a lot of Regina juice which arrives in Sept. so I typically bottle early Sept. as the juices are arriving. This will free up my carboys for the new batch and Tom and Wade won't yell at me for having empty carboys around.

The ph of your wines should be good. It's the sulfite you don't want to over do or under sulfite. After you do a few it gets a lot easier.

There are some of us in the western Pa area that get together for lunch or on a Sat. sometimes. All are welcome.