WineXpert Degassing Question (dont roll your eyes)

[FoxHound]

Hi,
I know there are a lot of degassing questions and im sorry if this has been asked before but trust me i have looked for this answer. I had a degassing problem with a white wine and i followed your helpful suggestions andgot it to the right temperture and degass the hell out of it. The problem was i degassed too much (because i just wanted to make sure that it got all the CO2 out) and the wine was flat as can be. now i love white wines and you always want them to have CO2 in them for a bit of fiz so my question is if anyone has some tips to making sure that you get the gas out but make sure you leave some in to prevent a flat wine?


Thanks


Peter

 

[Wade E]

Get a vacuum pump. They have gauges on them o you know when its done thus not going too far. I degas until I can get mine to around 18" and stop there. You may want more if you are looking for a fizz but being fizzy it may not clear properly.

 

[rhoffart]

Ok, wine is suppose to be flat. No fizz at all.


If your wine taste flat, that a different story all together. You need to be looking at your acid level.

 

[FoxHound]

Hi,</span>

thanks for the replies. perhaps you are
rightrhoffart but i have read information from professional wine makers
who talk about the amount of CO2 they like in their wines. I can't remember the
links but here is one that talks a little about it:</span>

http://salewine.wordpress.com/2011/06/01/carbon-dioxide-in-wine/</span></span>
</span>Peter</span>

 

[ibglowin]

CO2 masks a wines flavor profile. Not something you would normally want IMHO. I have tasted some whites that seemed to have some zip in it but in all actuality it was just a really crisp, high acid, low pH wine that had wonderful floral notes that danced in your mouth. Sorta like a good New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc!
I could see CO2 in some of the mist type "cooler" wines available but not any true varietal. To each his own as always in wine making. I would think not degassing at all might be an option depending on the level of CO2 you like.

 

[fivebk]

If you leave CO2 in your wine you could take the chance of blowing corks. It's not something I want to take a chance on..

BOB

 

[robie]

Thanks for the article. I have never before heard of still wine needing CO2. Personally, I don't want any CO2 in my wine. Even a small amount gives the wine a bitter feel in the mouth. Maybe for sweet wines a very small amount would be OK, but if I detect even a small amount in dry wine, I don't find it appealing at all.

I also have found CO2 masks the aroma of a wine. If you decant a wine loaded with CO2, at first there will be very little aroma. Swirl it around some and let it set, then the aroma will start coming through. At least this is my experience.

 

[rhoffart]

I don't know how to test for CO2, or even ifit's possible for the home winemaker to preform such a test.


I have never opened a wine that had fizz, bubbles or a taste of CO2, If I did I would think it was bad. Except of course sparkling wine.

 

[vcasey]

Clearing the wine could be challenging if you don't degass it and blowing corks is no fun and the clean up is a pain. Somethings are just more challenging to accomplish for the home winemaker without breaking the bank but you have options. Other options is to keg the wine then you can adjust the wine to get the right amount of bubbles you want and you don't need to worry with bottling. Or make it like champagne and use those type of bottles and closures. The disadvantage with making it like champagne is that it would be hard to control the amount of CO2 the yeast will produce.

 

[FoxHound]

Thanks for your thoughts guys. i think some of you got the wrong idea i think. i wasdefinitelynot referring to wine so fizzy that it could becomparedto sparkling wine and also thechanceof cords popping off. Its just that i have read a few articles about winemakers explaining the importance they see in CO2. I think some of you are correct though. Perhaps what i am referring to is from high acidity. I do come from New Zealand so whenever i have a sauvignon blanc i do get a very zingy, very grassy taste which i love

 

[Wade E]

You are right in the fact that there should be residual amounts of C02 in your wine. Lots of us use electric vacuum pumps to remove the C02 but these pumps are limited by a regulator that is limited to around 22" and I dont even push mine that far. I go to around 16 -18" and stop there. You do ont want to remove every little bit and unless you left these pumps on all day or removed the regulator Im not sure you would be able to. I know with a HVAC pump you would be able to as they are more powerful.