Bulk aging white wine

[wineview]

As a general rule, how long do you bulk age white wine.

WV

 

[CDrew]

I was up wine tasting last weekend in the Sierra foothills and Andis was releasing their 2018 Sauvignon Blanc. I was thinking "whoa, way too early" but it was quite good and ready to drink. My wife even bought a couple bottles and already drank one of them.

But that's the earliest I've ever heard a commercial winery release their wine.

So I guess the real answer is, bulk age until you like how it tastes.

 

[wineview]

I was up wine tasting last weekend in the Sierra foothills and Andis was releasing their 2018 Sauvignon Blanc. I was thinking "whoa, way too early" but it was quite good and ready to drink. My wife even bought a couple bottles and already drank one of them.

But that's the earliest I've ever heard a commercial winery release their wine.

So I guess the real answer is, bulk age until you like how it tastes.

Yes I agree with personal taste. I started fermenting a Pinot Grigio in November. Racked twice and it tastes really good. I was thinking of racking one last time add some kmeta and bottle in seven days. I will also allow for some bottle aging as well.

 

[Scooter68]

Same for me with a plum wine.
Crystal clear in 5 weeks. Taste was very decent. Bottled 2 months ago at the ripe old age of 5 months.

Unfortunately the last bottle was only 7/8s full. So it didn't get corked. It was great and gone in a few days. Can't to to see what it will be like at 12 months.

Follow your taste buds.

 

[NorCal]

I bottle my white wine from September grapes in Jan or Feb. This year it will run into March since I’m adjusting the acid.

Haven’t seen any benefit of bulk aging whites.

 

[wineview]

I bottle my white wine from September grapes in Jan or Feb. This year it will run into March since I’m adjusting the acid.

Haven’t seen any benefit of bulk aging whites.

I did it to eliminate any sediment in my bottles. I racked for the third time today and will bottle in seven days.

 

[crushday]

I have discovered that white wines bulk aged for a year produce almost no "dust" in the bottle. It is a matter of preference.

 

[wineview]

I have discovered that white wines bulk aged for a year produce almost no "dust" in the bottle. It is a matter of preference.

A year! Like I said I racked for the third time since November and there was very little on the bottom of the carboy.

 

[NorCal]

Depending on the wine, I’ll run it through a .5 micron filter before bottling. Haven’t had anything in the bottles.

 

[Scooter68]

Ah the vagaries of wine making. Many ways to get to the same results.
And sometimes different results with what appears to identical materials and steps.

It's what keeps this from being a boring hobby.

 

[Chris Pittock]

Up until now I have racked and cleared my wines for about a week and then bottled them straight away. They usually get drunk quite young too. Last night we have the last bottle of an Apple & Orange I made in October. Because of lack of bottle racks, I'm considering making larger batches (5 gallons) and storing that in 1 gallon demijohns until I have room for the bottles.

I would however, like to keep back some bottles form each batch to see how they are a year. The problem with small 1 gallon batches is that they disappear far too quickly

 

[mainshipfred]

Depending on the wine, I’ll run it through a .5 micron filter before bottling. Haven’t had anything in the bottles.

Do you run it through a 1 before the .5? I'm getting close to bottling my Sauv Blanc and read somewhere it should be stepped before you get to the .5. It could have been from companies selling filters though. This is the first white I've made.

 

[Johnd]

I don't bulk age my whites any longer than necessary to finish the wine, so some take longer than others. A Chardonnay that is to undergo MLF, aging on the lees and oaking would be bottled later than a Pinot Gris that was planned to be bottled as soon as it was clear and free of carbonation. I do like all of them to sit in the wine room at 55F for a few months before bottling just in case there is any wine diamond action to eliminate.

I'm not a big white wine drinker, but do rather enjoy making them, and quite a few of my regulars like the whites, so I always have some on hand.

 

[mainshipfred]

I don't bulk age my whites any longer than necessary to finish the wine, so some take longer than others. A Chardonnay that is to undergo MLF, aging on the lees and oaking would be bottled later than a Pinot Gris that was planned to be bottled as soon as it was clear and free of carbonation. I do like all of them to sit in the wine room at 55F for a few months before bottling just in case there is any wine diamond action to eliminate.

I'm not a big white wine drinker, but do rather enjoy making them, and quite a few of my regulars like the whites, so I always have some on hand.

I'm with you on the whites and for me it's the floral notes that don't agree with me. I chose the Sauv Blanc because it does lacks the floral notes and the yeasts used was QA23 and Rhone 4600 for the same reason. This turned out very nice with hints of pineapple and grapefruit. I too was trying this white for my wife and others and also, like you, did enjoy making it and was from grapes. I'll definately be making more whites this year and a Sauv Blanc will be one of them.

 

[NorCal]

Do you run it through a 1 before the .5? I'm getting close to bottling my Sauv Blanc and read somewhere it should be stepped before you get to the .5. It could have been from companies selling filters though. This is the first white I've made.

I don’t. The wine is clean enough and the filter big enough that I’ve never had a clogging issue. I don’t think about filtering until I don’t think it needs it. Trying to filter an unsettled / cloudy wine is not a good idea.

 

[mainshipfred]

I don’t. The wine is clean enough and the filter big enough that I’ve never had a clogging issue. I don’t think about filtering until I don’t think it needs it. Trying to filter an unsettled / cloudy wine is not a good idea.

It's clear, just wondering. Never used the .5 before.

 

[pillswoj]

I go straight to the .5s on my whites with a mini jet, the wine is well cleared before I filter it though.