Next steps in the long haul

[DrStrangeLove]

I managed to remove this H2S problem i was having with my wine. After 2 doses of Reduless I believe the smell is gone now and I've done a final racking and closed the bottles back up for another month or so. I wanted to post this to ask what, if anything special, should be the next steps after this. I tasted the wine before racking and its pretty good. It is also clarifying at a decent rate.

So the questions are:

What should I expect over the next couple of months? Should I do anything or add anything extra next time I rack the wine to accelerate the clarification process? I have the bottles in my basement which maintains a nice cool temperature typically. I plan on leaving them down there till the second week of December (about a month from now) and then rack it again. I will also likely bring the bottles outside into the cold once or twice as I read this is also good to accelerate clarification and to ensure the fine lees ends up at the bottom of the carboy. My understanding is, at this point, its just a long haul of waiting and racking occasionally and nothing more should be required aside from run of the mill maintenance. eg. Just let nature take it's course.

Also, at what point do you folks make the determination it's time to bottle? Is it just a question of time or should the wine have a certain level of clarity before deciding to bottle it?

 

[cmason1957]

I am hopeful that for this aging time you added some KMeta (1/4 tsp to 5 or 6 gallons, or even better the correct amount for your ph and current free SO2). I think racking in Dec. is to soon. I go by the 3-3-3 racking plan, rack when nearly done with fermentation, then rack about 3 days after fermentation completes to remove gross lees, rack after 3 weeks to remove first order lees, these two are the ones you do to keep off orders from forming. Then rack about every 3 months with KMeta additions, if required. If making red wine that rack after 3 weeks may be much longer to allow mlf to complete. Most all of my red wines will sit for at least a year, perhaps longer. It will degas and become clear all by itself, during that time.

 

[DrStrangeLove]

@cmason1957 There you are again helping out!

Let me say thanks for all the previous info and recommendations. Much appreciated!

I actually don't have any KMeta-- What is its purpose? or multipurpose?

 

[cmason1957]

Kmeta = potassium metabisulphite. It can be in the form of campden tablets. It serves two purposes, at high doses of its a sanitizing agent (I mix it at 2 tbsp + 1 tbsp of acid/gallon of water). At the 1/4 tsp/ (5-6) gallon it protects the wine without being tasted.

Most folks, my self included start with the tablets and quickly switch over to kmeta.

 

[NorCal]

@cmason1957 There you are again helping out!

Let me say thanks for all the previous info and recommendations. Much appreciated!

I actually don't have any KMeta-- What is its purpose? or multipurpose?

Good advice from @cmason1957.

Kmeta/SO2/Campden tablets/ potassium metabisulfite are all the same thing. They serve as an anti-oxidant as well as an anti-microbial agent to keep the wine from spoiling. It is important to have enough, but too much will ruin a wine.

 

[wpt-me]

A 1/4 teaspoon per gal , I thought is a little high ? 1/4 teaspoon per 5-6 gal was the norm??

Bill

 

[Johnd]

A 1/4 teaspoon per gal , I thought is a little high ? 1/4 teaspoon per 5-6 gal was the norm??

Bill

You’re correct, I’m sure @cmason1957 meant 1/4 tsp per 5 or 6 gallon carboy.

 

[cmason1957]

You’re correct, I’m sure @cmason1957 meant 1/4 tsp per 5 or 6 gallon carboy.

I did, sorry. Dang answering things while at work. I did go back and correct it via edit so as not to have bad information or there for the next person who might read my wisdom (or ramblings) whatever seems appropriate to call them.

 

[vineyarddog]

Good advice from @cmason1957.

Kmeta/SO2/Campden tablets/ potassium metabisulfite are all the same thing. They serve as an anti-oxidant as well as an anti-microbial agent to keep the wine from spoiling. It is important to have enough, but too much will ruin a wine.

Asking for a friend... how much is enough to ruin a 6 gallon batch?

 

[NorCal]

Asking for a friend... how much is enough to ruin a 6 gallon batch?

The 'ol my friend wants to know question If you doubled the dosage; 100ppm SO2, you would be able to detect it immediately, but would fade over time. I've had wine approach 300 ppm total SO2 (not free) and it was still fine. I believe the legal limit is 350 ppm total SO2. I would think anything over 350 ppm SO2 would be detectable by some...so seven 1/4 tsp into a 5 gallon carboy, would be my guess.

 

[vineyarddog]

So if said “friend” accidentally added 1/4 tablespoon, it would be fine, eventually.

 

[cmason1957]

So if said “friend” accidentally added 1/4 tablespoon, it would be fine, eventually.

Well, it probably isn't that horrible. Normally you might end up adding a full tsp of kmeta (4 times 1/4 tsp) and that it's 1/3 if a tablespoon or 0.33, so adding 1/4 tbsp is 0.25 of a tbsp.

 

[vineyarddog]

Well, it probably isn't that horrible. Normally you might end up adding a full tsp of kmeta (4 times 1/4 tsp) and that it's 1/3 if a tablespoon or 0.33, so adding 1/4 tbsp is 0.25 of a tbsp.

Meaning, don’t add any more during the 3 month rackings, right? Sorry, newbie questions.

 

[cmason1957]

Meaning, don’t add any more during the 3 month rackings, right? Sorry, newbie questions.

Yep, you are probably good for a full year or more.

 

[vineyarddog]

Yep, you are probably good for a full year or more.

Perfect. I’ll just consider myself as being efficient. thanks for responding