WineXpert Help, Newbie Degassing

[darshan]

Hi everyone.
I am so glad I have found this site. I gave my husband the wine making works from Fine Vine Winesfor Christmas, and we are on Step 3 on our first Merlot Wine Expert Kit.
Weso excited andare loving it.We already have a Chardonay kit ready to start as soon as we bottle this one.


My question is this. I have been watching the Video's, and I understand that I need to follow my kit's instrustions, BUT there is nothing in the destructions about the VacuVin.

My instructions say not to rack before mixing, Add the first 2 chemicals, MIX, add the Chitosan, MIX, Top off, add airlock and wait 14 days.


Are we still supposed to do the Vacuvin? When? After the last mix? Do I still wait the full 14 days?


I can use any help I can get, I really want this to turn out good.


Thanks and look forward to your input

 

[grapeman]

The VacuVin is totally optional. WE doesn't include the use in the instructions. It is just something some of us do to try to get more gas out earlier. You can do it at pretty much any stage after adding the chemicals. Just be careful if you do it at the same time as you add the clarifiers. They can act as a precipitate for the gasses and can occasionaly cause a wine volcano (from excess gas coming out at once). The Vacuvin can cause it to happen if you are too aggressive with it.


I'm sure your wine will turn out great. Welcome to the forum here, have fun and share your experiences with others as you go.

 

[Wade E]

The vacuvin is really helpful after first using a drill mounted stirrer and like appleman said, be very careful degassing a wine after adding sulfite or this will happen! If you have already added the sorbate and the sulfite then hit the wine on very slow speed once quick and sop and wait and watch to make sure that this isnt going to bring the rising c02 up like in the picture, if you can I highly recommend doing this in a bathtub the 1st few times or even always or at least in some kind of saucer that will catch the overflow until you have a grasp of what can happen like below!

 

[darshan]

OK now you have me a little scared!!!!
So is it better to wait a while after the sulfite, or does time not matter?

 

[grapeman]

Just go slow and no problem. Wade just used a bit too much power and he loves to show that picture.


And don't worry about Wade losing wine there. He keeps that floor so clean, he just slurped up the spilled wine with a straw. He couldn't type very well though for a couple hours after

 

[Wade E]

Use slow speed at first and just a quick burst and then let it sit for a minute, then repeat and eventually move to high speed in quick bursts. I switch from forward to reverse as this action seems to disturb the wine the best and gets more gas out!

 

[darshan]

Thanks, I really prefer my wine in a glass not off the floor

 

[Wade E]

You dont know what you are missing but to each their own!

 

[Appfan]

I had head much about the dreaded volcano, adn today as I was stirring my second kit, whamo! Ah well, the hardest lessons are those best learned!

 

[Tom]

The 1st thing to remember is Murphy's Law.





The 2nd thing to remember is don't do it on a rug! (I did not pretty)

 

[Wade E]

What no photos!!!!!!!

 

[Tom]

No Did not have time to take as wife was yelling to clean up.

Yes all was cleaned and no stains in the rug.

 

[Wade E]

Someone else has to take over with "the picture" thingy here!

 

[darshan]

OK, just so I am sure I understand the whole wine volcano thing, is it caused by the mixstir or the Vacuvin?

 

[gaudet]

The 1st thing to remember is Murphy's Law.





The 2nd thing to remember is don't do it on a rug! (I did not pretty)





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If you do it over a rug, make sure its one you are ready to replace. Tepe was subconsciously planning to replace that carpet with a hardwood floor in order to further endear himself to Mrs. Tepe.

 

[uavwmn]

darshan, welcome to the site!! Great Christmas gift!! And I bet the Chardonay will be good also!!

 

[admiral]

OK, just so I am sure I understand the whole wine volcano thing, is it caused by the mixstir or the Vacuvin?

Yes

It can be caused by either. Go slow when getting the CO2 out.

 

[uavwmn]

darshan, just go slow at first while degassing. You will get the hang of it.
The wine and gas bubbles will show you along the way how aggressive to be with degassing.

 

[Tom]

The funny thing on degassing is you don't know which wine will do the volcano thing.



Reds, Whites or Blush's happens to any kind.






Start the drill slow that would give you an idea of what's to follow.

 

[jake77]

Yep! Just experienced the volcano! I started slow, degassing my IM green apple then gave it a quick jolt on high and then. Whoa! It was pretty violent and I lost at least a gollon of wine. Topped back up with the F-pack, a bottle of riesling I bottled last week, and shook some water in the F-pack bag to finish it off. Will be more careful next time for sure!