# How long is it okay to leave wine with airlock?



## tbayav8er (Jan 18, 2016)

Hi everyone,

I have 2 kits that I want to bulk age for a while, since I've been having issues with my wine being gassy (even after vigorous whipping, and brake bleeding). Got an EP Spanish Cab Sauv and an LE Barbera (don't want these nice wines to be gassy at all). 

With this in mind, in order for CO2 to dissipate, the wine needs to have an airlock. If I top up the carboy, how long can the wine be left with the airlock before I have to put a solid bung on?

Cheers


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## Brian55 (Jan 18, 2016)

tbayav8er said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I have 2 kits that I want to bulk age for a while, since I've been having issues with my wine being gassy (even after vigorous whipping, and brake bleeding). Got an EP Spanish Cab Sauv and an LE Barbera (don't want these nice wines to be gassy at all).
> 
> ...



We bottle whites at about 6 months, reds at about 12 months. Prior to that all our wines are in glass carboys under airlocks. No issues. Just keep an eye on the airlocks to make sure the liquid hasn't evaporated.


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## heatherd (Jan 18, 2016)

tbayav8er said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I have 2 kits that I want to bulk age for a while, since I've been having issues with my wine being gassy (even after vigorous whipping, and brake bleeding). Got an EP Spanish Cab Sauv and an LE Barbera (don't want these nice wines to be gassy at all).
> 
> ...



Keep in mind that you'll need to add kmeta every three months at 1/4 tsp per six gallons. Unless you have a way to test.


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## JohnT (Jan 18, 2016)

I do not even own a solid bung and I normally age wine for 2 years with a fermentation trap, but I have had some wines age six years. 

As long as you periodically inspect your traps, and keep them filled (I use k-meta solution), you can age your wine with under a trap for a very long time indeed.


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## Dhaynes (Jan 18, 2016)

The idea of using a solid bung seems to have lost a lot of favor in recent years. Temperature changes, residual CO2 escaping from the wine and other things can cause a pressure differential that can cause a solid bung to work loose creating an air leak. The solid bung doesn't buy you anything other than not having to periodically check the airlock.


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