I just joined the forum this morning - looking forward to sharing information & friendly banter with fellow wine lovers. I live in Queens, NY and have been a serious amateur winemaker since 1991. I got a late start this year - just pressed yesterday and have a question that bothers me every year. I generally wait approximately 1-2 months before racking off the gross lees and I read conflicting opinions about the best time, some as early as 24 hours after pressing. I made approximately 120 gallons this year - a 50/50 blend of Old Vine Zin/Sangiovese and appreciate all feedback.
Hello Everyone!
- Thread starter Kulpy
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Hey, Kulpy. Welcome to the forum. That sounds like a great blend that you are making. I am not sure there is an "answer" to your concern or an exact timing for moving off the gross lees. To me, "as early as 24 hours" sounds too soon and "1-2 months" sounds too long, but that is just my experience. We used to make between 100 and 200 gallons at home from Zinfandel (75%) and Muscat (25%). Our schedule was roughly:
Early October: Crush grapes into working (fermenting) barrels (we co-fermented and red and white skins went into the wine)
Mid October: Rack to aging barrels (barrels with spigots, bung hole open) and press skins. We always segregated the "first run" of wine from the working barrels and the wine from the pressing.
Early to mid December: Stopper the aging barrels with wooden bungs.
(Between the racking in mid October and the stopping in mid December, we kept the barrels "topped off" in the bung hole to minimize exposure to air.)
Late March to early April: Bottle wine. We used 1 gallon jugs.
The wine was drinkable at this point and how much we drank depended on what was remaining from the prior year. I am not saying this is right or wrong. It is just the way we did it and it worked well for us.
Good luck with your wine and keep us up to date on what you are doing.
Early October: Crush grapes into working (fermenting) barrels (we co-fermented and red and white skins went into the wine)
Mid October: Rack to aging barrels (barrels with spigots, bung hole open) and press skins. We always segregated the "first run" of wine from the working barrels and the wine from the pressing.
Early to mid December: Stopper the aging barrels with wooden bungs.
(Between the racking in mid October and the stopping in mid December, we kept the barrels "topped off" in the bung hole to minimize exposure to air.)
Late March to early April: Bottle wine. We used 1 gallon jugs.
The wine was drinkable at this point and how much we drank depended on what was remaining from the prior year. I am not saying this is right or wrong. It is just the way we did it and it worked well for us.
Good luck with your wine and keep us up to date on what you are doing.
pjd
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I cant help you with your question because I have never made wine from fresh grapes but welcome to WMT!
That old vine Zin/Sangiovese sounds wonderful! I'd love to try that one!
LoneStarLori
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Welcome Kulpy! Can't answer the question either but I'm sure you will find the answer here. Rocky is a wealth of knowledge as well as many others.
The blend sounds awesome.
In case you didn't read the 'fine print' in the terms and conditions; you have to send a bottle of what you are currently working on to the first 5 people to say Hi.
The blend sounds awesome.
In case you didn't read the 'fine print' in the terms and conditions; you have to send a bottle of what you are currently working on to the first 5 people to say Hi.
Hey Rocky,
Thanks so much for the welcome & feedback. You helped to make my decision - I think I'll wait 1-2 weeks before the first rack this year. I have everything in Demi-Johns now, thinking of aging in light toast oak. I usually make a blend of Petit Syrah/Zin, but waited took long and couldn't find Petit Syrah this year. I give away many bottles every year to friends and customers (I own a restoration company) and my best compliment is when people don't believe it is homemade.
Thanks so much for the welcome & feedback. You helped to make my decision - I think I'll wait 1-2 weeks before the first rack this year. I have everything in Demi-Johns now, thinking of aging in light toast oak. I usually make a blend of Petit Syrah/Zin, but waited took long and couldn't find Petit Syrah this year. I give away many bottles every year to friends and customers (I own a restoration company) and my best compliment is when people don't believe it is homemade.
Welcome Professor Kulpy. It sounds like you've answered your own question... if it's been working since 1991, I'd keep doing it! Is your wine in carboys or something else. I think the general opinion around these parts is rack around a month or when there is 1-2" of sediment. For me, a kit wine maker, the racking schedule is often dictated by the need to free up glassware.
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corwinwarlike
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Hello all fellow members my name is Corwin Warlike i am from Florida, USA and a new member of this informative community.
bkisel
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Kulpy, Welcome aboard!
Many fond and some not so fond memories of Queens. Family moved from the lower east side (Lilian Wald projects) to Queens when I was about 11 years old. Lived in Woodside, Woodside city housing project to be exact. Left Queens in 1976 to move to Connecticut. Mom last lived in Maspeth before she passed and a brother for most of his career was a Detective out of the 109 precinct in Jamaica.
Many fond and some not so fond memories of Queens. Family moved from the lower east side (Lilian Wald projects) to Queens when I was about 11 years old. Lived in Woodside, Woodside city housing project to be exact. Left Queens in 1976 to move to Connecticut. Mom last lived in Maspeth before she passed and a brother for most of his career was a Detective out of the 109 precinct in Jamaica.
bkisel
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Phil we have plenty of Old Vine Zin and will be pressing the young wine and have it available next week. We wanted it out by this weekend but it's been so cold up here it was hard to get the fermentation going. All the bins are covered in big tarps now with a large heater blowing under it.
winemaker_3352
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Welcome aboard!!!
After i transfer to my secondary (SG 1.000 - 1.005) to finish off fermentation, most of the gross lees is left behind. Once fermentation is complete i rack again off the lees left. That is usually about 1-2 weeks after initial transfer.
Now if you are doing any kind of sur lie aging or battonage - then you might reconsider racking off the lees.
After i transfer to my secondary (SG 1.000 - 1.005) to finish off fermentation, most of the gross lees is left behind. Once fermentation is complete i rack again off the lees left. That is usually about 1-2 weeks after initial transfer.
Now if you are doing any kind of sur lie aging or battonage - then you might reconsider racking off the lees.
