Extended Maceration and Gross Lees

[tradowsk]

I'm working on a WineXpert Eclipse Lodi Ranch cab sauv.

I'm following this thread to try an extended maceration: https://www.winemakingtalk.com/threads/extended-maceration-eclipse-lodi-11-cab.55098/

I'm shooting for a 6 week EM (currently on week 3) but I'm wondering if I was supposed to rack off the gross lees at some point? I don't want it to affect the flavor.

Traditionally I do my first racking around SG 1.020 but I didn't this time to keep everything in the primary bucket. I put it under an airlock at 1.020 and I slosh it gently once a day to keep everything moist. The airlock was bubbling a lot when I first put it on there and I haven't opened the lid since so I'm pretty sure it's all CO2 in there.

But I want to make sure I'm doing this right.

And help or advice is appreciated!!

 

[jgmann67]

Nope, you're okay. The idea is to launch, keep your skins wet and otherwise leave it be. I would bet that if you opened it up to stir and punch the skins down, they'll probably just sink to the bottom.

If you're worried that you've lost all your CO2, check your SG. If you're at zero, just dose with with KMeta, close it up and wait the remaining 3 weeks.

 

[tradowsk]

I opened up the fermenter last night to take an SG reading which was 0.992

I dosed with Kmeta since fermentation was over at that point, but I noticed that there were very few skins still floating (I didn't use the cloth bag to hold them). Most seem to have sunk, and even more did when I gently stirred in the Kmeta.

Will the skins still be macerating even sitting on the bottom with the lees, or should I just call it at this point?

 

[jgmann67]

I opened up the fermenter last night to take an SG reading which was 0.992

I dosed with Kmeta since fermentation was over at that point, but I noticed that there were very few skins still floating (I didn't use the cloth bag to hold them). Most seem to have sunk, and even more did when I gently stirred in the Kmeta.

Will the skins still be macerating even sitting on the bottom with the lees, or should I just call it at this point?

Yep - your wine continues to benefit from the prolonged exposure to the skins even when they drop to the bottom.