Cellar Craft Red mountain

[Broge5]

Newbie here, working on my second kit. This last week I moved my Red Mountain Cabernet from primary to secondary carboy. I had to top up with an entire bottle of Cabernet plus some water to get to the neck of the carboy. However I did funnel the gross Lee's into two wine bottles, put vacuum tops and stuck them in the refrigerator to settle. I have no idea how much they will settle, but I do see liquid at the top now, Maybe not enough to top off with anyway.

My question is, is this something that I can use to top off with when I rack after secondary is done? Or should I not because it came from the primary?

 

[ibglowin]

As long as they are full and stoppered you can let them settle for a few days and use for topping off down the road.

 

[Broge5]

Thanks ibglowin. I'm hoping it settles enough to make one full bottle from the two. If not, I'll let it go.

 

[Broge5]

One more question.

If I save the must to settle for a few days to top off with, is it ok to leave a little head space after transferring from primary to secondary while waiting for the must to settle in a sealed wine bottle so that I can use it to top off the secondary? Maybe there is enough CO2 to protect a few days? Or am I just saving the settled must for topping another batch?

Still being a year or more out from trying my first batch, the topping off issue and 6g carboys that aren't really 6g is giving me plenty to be concerned about.

Laslty, (for now ) on my Showcase Red Mountain Cab, when racking from secondary, I strained the lees through a couple layers of cheese cloth and pressed with a sanitized spoon to try to salvage as much as I could. Is this recommended, or a no no?

 

[ibglowin]

Have you degassed yet? If not then your OK for a few days settling with some headspace in the carboy, but try and get it topped up ASAP. As for topping up, yes, the kit is designed to make 23L at the beginning of the process. You will lose up to two bottles with the gross lees and fines depending on how hard you work to save the racked off portions and of course your racking expertise. Just pick up an inexpensive cab. My Favorite for this kit was always the Columbia Crest "Two Vines". If you can snag it on sale especially this time of year it can be had for as low as ~$5 a bottle and it is an awesome wine all on its own.

I would not spend too much time trying to save the gross lees. I would just let it settle in a 1.5L bottle for a couple of days and then either pour off or siphon off with a small tube back to carboy.

 

[Broge5]

Ibglowin, thanks again. After reading your post it makes sense to me that I wouldn't spend too much time trying to gather from The lees and risk leaving too much headspace on an entire carboy while waiting for it to settle. Especially with how cheap top of wine is.

 

[tonyt]

Absolutely use the clear wine to top up when you rack again for clearing. Ill bet its just the right amount. Try not to add more water.

 

[Broge5]

I below is a message from Tony that was very helpful. Wanted to share it with all.

f you have racked off of gross lees and topped up to within three inches of the top of the bung hole, you can now leave it for the alloted secondary time (days they say to leave in secondary). Since it's topped up no need to rush out of secondary, I do one or two weeks whatever fits my schedule at home. Them follow instructions for clearing (I rack back to primary bucket for the stirring process then rack back to carboy for the weeks of clearing) If you need more wine for topping up for clearing you can use the bottle from your refrig. Actually I pour this wine in primary bucket so it gets mixed well with clearing agents and properly degassed. If you have extra at racking back to glass, put the extra in a bottle with an airlock (small bungs are made for this or use the universal upside down). That bottle sill settle and clear just like and on the same schedule as the carboy. AFTER your wine is clear and you rack off of the fine lees (clearing sludge) you can sue the clear wine on the bottle to top up the carboy if you let age another few weeks in carboy, or just add the clear wine to your wine getting bottled. Always rack off the fine lees to another carboy or primary bucket for bottling, never risk picking up some sludge when bottling. Relax, it will make sense when you go through the steps if you remember only clear wine goes in bottles for drinking. If you think this is clear feel free to copy and paste the above into your thread for others that might do a search in the future. Enjoy!

 

[kevinlfifer]

Bottled mine last night. All I can say after tasting it is WOW! Can't wait for a year to pass, but I know I'll cheat.

 

[Boatboy24]

I had a split of mine last week. Started in December, bottled in June. It's great - best kit I've done thus far.

 

[Broge5]

You guys make me jealous.