Racking and Sulphiting Schedule

[smcalli1]

I've not been doing this very long, but have read a lot and it's done nothing but confused me. One writer will say rack every two months and sulphite with a campden tablet a gallon every odd racking. Another will say racking every three to four months and only sulphiting after racking off the fine lees and before bottling. I'm a little concerned about sulphiting too much (I get the feeling American wine is more sulphited than European wine which explains the headaches). Is there a concensus on the forum?

 

[Turock]

You should only rack if/when needed. If you use bentonite in the primary, there is a lot more debris and you will need to rack a couple more times than if you don't use it. Only rack when there is substancial lees---the first rack is the most important because the debris from fermentation can give off flavors if the wine sits on it too long.

We only rack one time, most of the time. The small amount of lees after the first racking should be left on the wine because these yeast cells age the wine flavors.

Sulfiting depends on several things. If you sulfited enough at the primary, there might be enough sulfite in the wine. If you use lesser amounts than normal in the primary, then you should add some at racking. If you let your wine age long term in the carboy, you might want to go back in 6 months or so to add 1/4 tsp of meta. Sulfite levels also depend on the PH of the wine. More acidic wines need less sulfite.

I read an interesting article one time that most headaches from wine are not from sulfite. It is caused by histamines in the grapes. Red grapes have a lot of histamine in them and whites somewhat less. There could be a few people who have sensitivity to sulfite---some people have allergies to foods with preservatives,as an example. Somtimes you can get a stuffy nose from red wines--this is the histamine reaction.

 

[smcalli1]

Thanks. Good info. I've got two carboys of Norton and a carboy of Vidal Blanc aging right now. (I just bottled a Traminette that I had to cold stabilize because of tartrate crystals.) I've racked the Norton twice so far. Once to get it off the gross lees and one more time. The Vidal was only racked once and there's a thin layer of sediment in the bottom. I think I'm going to cold stablize it without racking first. I haven't been doing much sulphiting at each racking because I wasn't sure how much I should. I think I'll sulphite the Norton just before bottling.

 

[Turock]

Yes---you should always add a tad more sulfite at bottling. Those dusty, fine lees should remain on the wine so it ages properly.

Cold stabilizing depends on PH. PH will not move much depending on the starting PH. If you used calcium carbonate in the primary, the tartaric crystals will drop out even at room temp. However, I agree that some refrigeration temp will drop out the crystals so they don't drop out in the bottle when you chill them.

 

[winemaker_3352]

I would be hesitant add k-meta at bottling time - unless you are going to bottle age for a while.

SO2 will not dissipate once you cork it.

I like to add k-meta in about 2 months prior to bottling. Gives it time to dissipate some while leaving some to protect the wine once i bottle. Then I let age in the bottle close to a year..

Yeah - CS will not hurt the wine at all. I would recommend using potassium bicarbonate instead of calcium carbonate.

 

[Turock]

But potassium carbonate will raise the PH and that may not be desireable. Plus, it can ruin a delicate wine---and shouldn't be used on whites.

I think it's always a good idea to add a small amount of meta at bottling unless you've recently added it to the carboy. If you sweeten and use sorbate, you need to use meta along with it.

 

[winemaker_3352]

But potassium carbonate will raise the PH and that may not be desireable. Plus, it can ruin a delicate wine---and shouldn't be used on whites.

I think it's always a good idea to add a small amount of meta at bottling unless you've recently added it to the carboy. If you sweeten and use sorbate, you need to use meta along with it.

Yeah in might raise it a little - but not enough to ruin the wine. With CS it will drop the pot bicarb out of the wine - using calcium prior to fermentation it will not drop out and you will have calcium in the wine now..

I have not noticed a PH change when using this - I use this for minor adjustments only if needed - I like to harvest when the PH/TA are where I want them to be. If PH is low and TA is high - then i want to raise the PH.

K-meta before bottling - i guess depends on your definition of small amount - I wouldn't mix in 1/4 tsp or even 1/8 tsp at bottling time. Maybe hit it with 1/16 tsp if you have haven't added any in a while. If you have added k-meta within the last 3-4 months - I wouldn't bother with it - I have done this before and I can taste the SO2 in the bottle. That is why i don't add k-meta at bottling time..

 

[Norton]

I am wondering if it is worth it to buy something that measures the sulfite level. It sounds like there isn't a broad consensus as to what to do when, but I have read elsewhere that there is a general rule of thumb as to how much sulfite should be present at any one time.

 

[winemaker_3352]

I am wondering if it is worth it to buy something that measures the sulfite level. It sounds like there isn't a broad consensus as to what to do when, but I have read elsewhere that there is a general rule of thumb as to how much sulfite should be present at any one time.

That is the most accurate way to handle SO2 additions..

 

[Turock]

Yes--sulfate levels depend on the PH of a wine. As an example, a wine with a PH of 3.3 requires 30 PPM, while a PH of 3.6 needs 60 PPM. So this is another reason for taking PH readings---it not only makes a more balanced wine, but gives you info on how to sulfite.

I agree that potassium carbonate will only allow you to tweak PH--it is not for large PH adjustments. I've read some white paper on it and the recommendation is not to use it on delicate wines as it can ruin the nose and flavors. Some people would never use it. But as with all things, experimentation on your own is often more valid than what is sometimes written up on it.