Extra wine in fridge from lees

[silverbullet07]

The extra wine I have accumulated from the Lee’s is in the fridge for topping up. Does it age in the fridge like it does car boys, in the wine room?

 

[winemaker81]

Have you siphoned or poured the wine off the lees? If not, you need to. Then move the wine a container that the wine fills, e.g., you want very little air space. If the wine is 100% done with fermentation this can go into a screwcap bottle, but it's recommended to use an airlock or a solid bung/stopper. [I have a few 200 ml bottles from a wedding that I keep around for tiny amounts. Waste not, want not!]

While it doesn't hurt it to remain refrigerated, most store the topup with the wine.

 

[Scooter68]

I only put it in the fridge to get the lees to drop out. As long as you can reduce headspace to reasonable limits - Age it same place as the rest of the wine.

 

[silverbullet07]

I have moved it to the wine room. Thanks everyone.

 

[Raptor99]

This is an issue that I have been wondering about. When I rack out of the primary, I want to save the extra wine to top off at the next racking. I have tried several methods:

1. Store it in the fridge. For this I need to include very little lees and minimal air space.
2. Store it in the freezer. This is a suggestion I read about making hard cider. I have successfully stored extra cider must in the freezer for the next racking. I also tried it with a batch of pear wine.
3. Store it on the counter with the carboy. Advantage: it continues to ferment and clear along with the wine. To do this, I need a smaller container with an airlock. Since I use 1-gallon carboys, I need several smaller containers that will take an airlock. I have been trying to find suitable containers.

What have other people tried?

 

[Scooter68]

1 & 3 only - They work and as my Tennis coach said - "Never change a winning game."

 

[FTC Wines]

Raptor, We store ours in 750 ml & 375 ml wine bottles. The 750’s are clear ones so we can easily see what’s going on. They all have air locks on them. And stored in our wine room ( 68*) next to the carboy and barrels that need topping off. Roy

 

[winemaker81]

I also use 200 ml and 1.5 liter bottles. IIRC, a #3 drilled stopper fits standard wine bottles.

I don't freeze wine -- it's not the same afterward (friend left a case of wine in his car overnight, didn't break any bottles, but the wine was not good when defrosted).

Other than settling out lees, I keep topup on the counter next to the carboys and barrels.

 

[Raptor99]

I also use 200 ml and 1.5 liter bottles. IIRC, a #3 drilled stopper fits standard wine bottles.

I don't freeze wine -- it's not the same afterward (friend left a case of wine in his car overnight, didn't break any bottles, but the wine was not good when defrosted).

1. This is a great idea. I found some #3 drilled stoppers on Amazon. I'm going to try this.

2. I don't want to freeze wine either. For cider, I have been freezing unfermented must taken out before I pitch the yeast.

 

[Scooter68]

The pre-drilled Universal bungs will fit standard wine bottles - just turn them upside down