# fizzy Syrah



## wine08057 (Feb 11, 2010)

Bottled 4 cases of Syrah last Sept along with 6 cases of Zin. Opened a bottle of the Syrah recently and it was very fizzy. Not so for the Zin. The wine was a year old when bottled, racked 4 times over that year, and quite clear and still (I thought) upon bottling. Anyone know a way to get rid of the Co2 without emptying the bottles to degass?
Thanks...


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## Green Mountains (Feb 11, 2010)

I had that issue with one of our first which was also a syrah. Didn't degas enough before bottling I guess in both of our cases.

I'm not sure but wonder if decanting the wine for awhile before serving might reduce the co2.


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## AlFulchino (Feb 11, 2010)

decant well before drinking and stir it up some...after a few tries you will get to know how much time you need for that particular batch of bottles


and many sommeliers have a few tricks...they open the bottle when they take it from your table after approval...and shake it up...some have nuked it...


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## wine08057 (Feb 11, 2010)

*Decant*

I've tried pouring out a glass, then shaking up the bottle several times over an hour or so. It's drinkable then but I wonder if there's a way to help flatten it without all the trouble. Funny because the Zin, made from juice bought from the same supplier, is absolutely delicious. I've never had this problem with any varietals before... Wonder if it's peculiar to Syrah?


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## NSwiner (Feb 11, 2010)

Would one of the wine vacs you use to perserve the wine once it's open would work I think i saw something on youtube of someone using it to degas a carboy so it should work to degas a bottle .


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## AlFulchino (Feb 11, 2010)

good point Darlene...that might be just enough


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## Racer (Feb 11, 2010)

Yep, a vacu-vin works wonders on de-gassing a fizzy bottle. Its amazing how many commercial bottles release CO2 when you use one on them for the first time after opening and pouring a glass out.


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## Tom (Feb 11, 2010)

I had a Savignon Blanc that it happened to. I degassed it and bottled 9 months later. Guess what? Ype same problem. Fizzy.
Happens to the best of us. Decant for 30 min B-4 drinking


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## carmine (Feb 12, 2010)

I asume this wine is from grapes or juice bucket . I used to have this problem. So i started mlf my wines after primary fermentation i recomend adding mlf cultures to your wines and bulk aging for a year or so . You will see that your wine will not be fizzy. Just my 2 cents. By the way i am not a degasser of wines . I 've also made a few kit wines and i never degassed. Just have patience and let them bulk age
carmine


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## Wade E (Feb 12, 2010)

Huh, another post I made has disappeared. With these bottles you have the Vacuvin will work very well. I know people that use this device for 6 gallon carboys actually.


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## wine08057 (Feb 16, 2010)

Thanks for all the replies... I actually tried using the vacuvin but even that doesn't work well. This is a bulk aged batch from juice that was bottled after approx. 1 year and racked 4 time over that year. I've never had this problem with any of my other varietals... Wierd... If I ever make Syrah again, I'll be sure to degas several times prior to bottling...


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## Wade E (Feb 16, 2010)

If you can not degas this wine in a bottle using the vacuvin then the only thing I can think of is that you are having MLF in the bottle.


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## wine08057 (Apr 21, 2010)

Wade E said:


> If you can not degas this wine in a bottle using the vacuvin then the only thing I can think of is that you are having MLF in the bottle.



Wade,
If that is the case, can I simply let them continue to age. Will this eventually run it's course?
Thanks...


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## Tom (Apr 21, 2010)

Yes.. Let it age..
Time is on your side.


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## robie (Apr 21, 2010)

Vacuvin works great. YOu have to have a glass carboy to use it. Be sure to have the temperature up to around 75 F when degassing.

Also, You bulk aged for a year before bottling; did you have a solid stopper in the carboy or did you use a bung and air lock? That makes a big difference.


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## wine08057 (Apr 22, 2010)

robie said:


> Vacuvin works great. YOu have to have a glass carboy to use it. Be sure to have the temperature up to around 75 F when degassing.
> 
> Also, You bulk aged for a year before bottling; did you have a solid stopper in the carboy or did you use a bung and air lock? That makes a big difference.



Bung and airlock, racked 4 times over the winter, was a year old when bottled and tasted pretty good at the time... Wierd because I always use the same methods, same equipment, VERY sterile conditions and my wine always comes out great. I'm perplexed but I guess I'll just let it age and try a bottle every couple months...


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## robie (Apr 22, 2010)

It's hard to believe it could still be loaded with CO2.

Keep us posted, we will all learn something, here!


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## Wade E (Apr 22, 2010)

Did you sulfite this wine good before bottling as maybe it went through MLf in the bottle.


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## wine08057 (Apr 23, 2010)

Wade E said:


> Did you sulfite this wine good before bottling as maybe it went through MLf in the bottle.



No, I don't sulfite... (maybe I should) 
I am VERY careful about sterilizing everything that touches the wine though.

Hard to believe it would go through MLF in bottle after bulk aging for a year though. If so, I guess there's nothing to do but let it take its' course...


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## carmine (Apr 23, 2010)

wine08057 said:


> No, I don't sulfite... (maybe I should)
> I am VERY careful about sterilizing everything that touches the wine though.
> 
> Hard to believe it would go through MLF in bottle after bulk aging for a year though. If so, I guess there's nothing to do but let it take its' course...



Thats what usually happens when you don't use a mlf culture . You never know when mlf takes off on its own . In the pass my wine would go on its own when bulk ageing.usually it would happen in the spring when you get the change in tempature. is the wine fizzy when you drink it. 
carmine


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## Wade E (Apr 23, 2010)

You dont use sulfite? You are asking for problems but not using it! Bacteria which is always present no matter how sanitary you are will eventually catch up with your wines.


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## wine08057 (Apr 29, 2010)

carmine said:


> Thats what usually happens when you don't use a mlf culture . You never know when mlf takes off on its own . In the pass my wine would go on its own when bulk ageing.usually it would happen in the spring when you get the change in tempature. is the wine fizzy when you drink it.
> carmine



Yep. I'm just letting it sit. Hopefully it will finish up and age nicely... Never happened to me before, wierd...


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## wine08057 (Apr 29, 2010)

Wade E said:


> You dont use sulfite? You are asking for problems but not using it! Bacteria which is always present no matter how sanitary you are will eventually catch up with your wines.



Never have. I'm VERY careful about sterilizing. I really like to have the wine sulfite free (except for the remnants from sterilizing the containers, tools, corks, etc... Always comes out good and continues to age nicely so over years 1-3 and it really changes character. I've found that particular varietals (Zin, Pinot Noir, Brunella) make a remarkable change if I can keep them bottled for an extra year or two, then start drinking them. The difference is amazing...


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## Wade E (Apr 29, 2010)

All red wines do go through amazing changes but not adding sulfites has nothing to do with that. If thats what you want to do thats fine by me but I like knowing that I have that added security and that microbes will not take over in my wines and those microbes are awlays there no matter how sanitary you are as we are not being sterile. The sulfites just keep them in check!


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## wine08057 (Apr 30, 2010)

Wade E said:


> All red wines do go through amazing changes but not adding sulfites has nothing to do with that. If thats what you want to do thats fine by me but I like knowing that I have that added security and that microbes will not take over in my wines and those microbes are awlays there no matter how sanitary you are as we are not being sterile. The sulfites just keep them in check!



No argument there. When and how much do you add? Maybe I'll try it next year...


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## Tom (Apr 30, 2010)

1/4tsp of K-meta after wine is dry or every 3 months if aging is a good fule of thumb.


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## robie (Apr 30, 2010)

Wade,
I agree with you about sulfites. However, I went to an organic wine tasting at out local Liquor store. Surprisingly, they had an organic, sulfite free wine that was already two years old and they said it could easily last 5 years. I didn't care that much for the wine, but was amazed at their claim.

I try hard to keep things clean, but I will continue to add sulfites.


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## Wade E (Apr 30, 2010)

They say that but how? First of all they cant claim its sulfite free as fermentation itself produces some S02 which will be in the wine, they can only claim low sulfite or no sulfite added! \With those low sulfites wine they can only attest to what they have already done as they cannot tell that what they have going will not go south due to some bacteria that is ever present in any wine. The proper dosage for add sulfites is 1/4 tsp per 5-6 gallons of wine. Obviously some heavier tannic wines will do much better at cellaring then others will like a Bordeaux will outlast a Rose 8 days a week.


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## wine08057 (May 4, 2010)

Wade E said:


> They say that but how? First of all they cant claim its sulfite free as fermentation itself produces some S02 which will be in the wine, they can only claim low sulfite or no sulfite added! \With those low sulfites wine they can only attest to what they have already done as they cannot tell that what they have going will not go south due to some bacteria that is ever present in any wine. The proper dosage for add sulfites is 1/4 tsp per 5-6 gallons of wine. Obviously some heavier tannic wines will do much better at cellaring then others will like a Bordeaux will outlast a Rose 8 days a week.



I've never been able to save any that long but I've drank some of my reds after 2 years and they were very very good. These would fall into the category of "no sulfites added"... Don't know how long till they would turn as I've never saved any that long.


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## robie (May 4, 2010)

Yep, you can't fernment without getting some sulfites.
I think what the bottles say is something like, "Contains No Added Sulfites".

I think sulfites are our friend.


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## wine08057 (May 13, 2010)

*Getting better*

Just wanted to say thanks for all the replies... Opened a bottle over the weekend and it has improved immensely! Whatever is/was going on seems to be running it's course. Very little fizz left and very good taste!!! 
Thanks again to all!!!


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