Racking Question

[FrontenacMan]

I've just finished fermenting my Frontenac Gris from this years harvest. I ended up with a little over 2.5 gals after racking. My question is how to handle the 1/2 gal. in terms of air exposure? I don't have quick access to CO2 to fill the air space in the third one gallon jug. Should I rack back into one of my 3 gal. carboys and then add some wine (from last years harvest) to top off the carboy? Or is it too soon to add finished wine (basically I'm in secondary fermentation) and should I add something else to get me to three gallons?

 

[4score]

Assuming you started malolactic fermentation, there should be enough CO2 to protect the wine until the end of that stage. Then rack again, SO2 and either put into a 2-gallon container or top up with other wine or sterile marbles.

 

[FrontenacMan]

Not going to do a Malo this year. My pH is at 3.5. I'm gonna let 'er ride. I did a Malo last year on my Frontenac (starting juice pH was 3.2) and I did not like the result. It brought down Malolactic to 0 and pH to 3.5 but the wine was flat. I want to have the capability to back sweeten on both Frontenac and Frontenac Gris this year and add KSorbate if I do.
I did not think of the sterile marble idea. Thanks for that tip.

 

[mikewatkins727]

A 1.5 liter & a 750 ml might get to where you want. Half gallon equals 1.89 liters.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

you can always try the https://www.allinonewinepump.com/product/headspace-eliminator/

any questions - please PM me

 

[Julie]

Could you add the 1/2 gallon to a couple of wine bottles? And if you don't want to do MLF, in the future try using Lavlin 1122 yeast. This yeast helps cut the malolactic.