Bulk aged a year, ready to back sweeten and bottle

[SteveH]

Most of my wines are bulk aged about a year or close. I'd like to back sweeten and then bottle. If I bulk aged that long do I still need K-meta and K-sorbate before bottling.
So some questions . . .
1. Do I still need to add K-meta and K-sorbate after back sweetening on one year bulk aged wine before bottling?
2. Does it help to let freshly back sweetened wine age even more (because it was just sweetened)?
3. Or should I have back sweetened early on and then let it bulk age a year and bottle?
Thanks! SteveH

 

[salcoco]

wine that is back sweetened regardless of aging requires k-meta and sorbate. chances re that most of yeast are long gone but only a few need to remain to restart fermentation. better safe then sorry. once sweetened and additives completed wait a few weeks to insure fermentation does not start, then bottle.
wine that has been sweetened does benefit from aging as the wine will get sweeter than from initial addition of sugar. best method age some and then bottle some. drink the bottle one soon then bottle the older wine later.

 

[SteveH]

Thank you!

 

[bkisel]

I'd go with what salcoco said but... I do have a friend who back sweetens all his wines just before bottling and without adding k-meta or sorbate, even his bold reds, and has been doing it for years (20-30+). It is how John had me do my very first batch and never cautioned me about doing it that way. Nowadays, when I occasionally back sweeten just before bottling, I'll sorbate 1/4 tsp along with 1/4 tsp. k-meta (to 6 gallons) just for insurance sake.

 

[Turock]

The only way to sweeten without sorbate is to sterile filter--something very difficult for home winemakers. Use the sorbate--and be SURE it's fresh.

 

[garymc]

I think bkisel's post #4 above is unclear. The amount of sorbate and the amount of k-meta are not the same. He correctly specifies for the k-meta that it's 1/4 tsp for a 5 or 6 gallon batch, but the sorbate amount should be 1/2 teaspoon per gallon, or 2.5 teaspoons in a 5 gallon batch. This is a substantial difference. What size batch of wine are you talking about?

 

[bkisel]

I think bkisel's post #4 above is unclear. The amount of sorbate and the amount of k-meta are not the same. He correctly specifies for the k-meta that it's 1/4 tsp for a 5 or 6 gallon batch, but the sorbate amount should be 1/2 teaspoon per gallon, or 2.5 teaspoons in a 5 gallon batch. This is a substantial difference. What size batch of wine are you talking about?

Yep, the 1/4 tsp. of sorbate is just to make me feel better than not adding any sorbate at all (which is what I have done a few times to no ill effect). Your sorbate amount sounds correct and would be best for full assurance of not having fermentation kick off again.