Wine very gassy after 6 months

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Bubba1

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I have 23 gal chilian shiraz from juice pails and grapes that has been vacuum racked twice and in demijohns bulk aging since May 2016 tonight i grabbed some with a wine thief put in a glass with 1/4 tsp K-Meta and it fizzled like it was just finished in the primary I took another sample out of each of the other demijohns and they were just as gassy I tasted a couple more samples and they are all the same. So at this point I vacuum racked all the wine out and then back into the demijohns then sampled again and it still tasted real young. I have drank shiraz made this same way and never had this happen before does anybody have an idea why this would be I used RC 212 no MLF no oak and k meta every 3 months. PH 3.27
 
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What temperature is the wine at? If it is being stored below 70*F, it will take a whole bunch of vacuum racks to get rid of that CO2, if you can at all. If it being stored at a low temperature, it would help to move it to a warmer location, if possible. Also, I'd be careful vacuum racking to a demijohn, the glass in those is usually pretty thin at the neck and it may implode the carboy under vacuum pressure.
 
My basement temps are about 70 right now and stay about there all year I have totally degassed in less time than this in the past and if I'm not mistaken it tastes like the co2 has increased since last racking. I rack using a manifold gauge set and can keep the vacuum at a safe level( 10-15 ) have never had a problem yet. I just haven't had this happen before.

_________Mike
 
My basement temps are about 70 right now and stay about there all year I have totally degassed in less time than this in the past and if I'm not mistaken it tastes like the co2 has increased since last racking. I rack using a manifold gauge set and can keep the vacuum at a safe level( 10-15 ) have never had a problem yet. I just haven't had this happen before.

_________Mike

Mike,

1) good on temperature
2) good on vacuum pressure (was worried as the AIO pulls twice as much vacuum)

If the CO2 is increasing, there is some type of process going on that is producing CO2. Only one I can think of is MLF. Most grapes come with some form on the skins, so I wonder if your SO2 levels could have fallen to a point where a "wild" MLF was starting up. Is there any way you can measure the Malic acid content of your wine?

That's the only thing I can think of, unless there is some sort of infection that 1) you would taste in samples and 2) you would see some turbidity in the wine itself.

Others on here have way more experience than I have, so that is my 1 cent worth. Just things to ponder.
 
Doctorcad I have been degassing wine for years at 5-10-15 inches of vacuum with no issues at all but i understand that 20 inches is the norm.

Ceeaton: I was thinking myself of a spontainious MLF but I have no way of testing MLF or malic acid content but tasting the wine it just tastes like Co2 no aroma or real fruit forward taste no foul taste or turbidity detected maybe ill just let it ride and taste again in a couple of months......Thanks for your reply

_________Mike
 
Potassium Metabisulfite is 2 or 3 years old stored in mason jar and still has a strong smell when I open the jar.
 
Potassium Metabisulfite is 2 or 3 years old stored in mason jar and still has a strong smell when I open the jar.

Well, it wouldn't hurt to get some new Kmeta, use what you have for a general purpose rinse. Next question, do you have a way to measure your free SO2 levels? The levels wouldn't have to be real high at that pH to protect against a spontaneous MLF, I'd think 40-50 ppm would easily protect you (you have a decently low pH on your side, which combats against most MLB).

If it is a spontaneous MLF, I don't think it will "hurt" a Syrah wine.
 
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Ill pick up some new meta next time I'm at LHBS but I have no way of checking SO2 level but I did add K-Meta in August so I don't think I was to far off ....And yes MLF would be an asset to any big red.

________Mike
 

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