Riesling from Blenheim Vineyards, New to Grapes

[MoldyGrapes]

Yep.

Expect fermentation to take a week to ten days. Longer at cooler temps.

Sooooooo....

Funny story; turns out instead of adding 23g of tartaric acid to the juice in the beginning to raise the TA level a bit I accidentally added 23g of Potassium Metabisulfite.

That is why the fermentation isn't going, I made cleaning solution, any thoughts on how I get this juice to be fermentable again?

According to a Titret test kit free SO2 is at or above 100 ppm now.

Edit: After some more calculation it's more like 1,600 ppm.

Thanks.

 

[Boatboy24]

Oh boy! You'll need to splash rack that in an attempt to 'blow off' some of that sulfite.

 

[MoldyGrapes]

Is splash racking enough for this much SO2?

I have a drill mounted stirring tool for degassing kits, or is that too much?

 

[Boatboy24]

Is splash racking enough for this much SO2?

I have a drill mounted stirring tool for degassing kits, or is that too much?

Honestly, I'm not sure. May have to do it a couple times. But at least you have the means to measure the SO2 to confirm.

 

[stickman]

The numbers indicate you may be closer to 800ppm which is still way high.

Here is a previous post on the subject of so2 removal.
https://www.winemakingtalk.com/threads/too-much-sulfite.70738/

 

[MoldyGrapes]

The numbers indicate you may be closer to 800ppm which is still way high.

Here is a previous post on the subject of so2 removal.
https://www.winemakingtalk.com/threads/too-much-sulfite.70738/

Going to try aerating the heck out of it, if that doesn't work I'll have to consider this a lesson learned and make sure to check twice, add once.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Johnd]

Going to try aerating the heck out of it, if that doesn't work I'll have to consider this a lesson learned and make sure to check twice, add once.

Thanks for the help.

Hydrogen peroxide will blow the the sulfite out immediately and you’ll be ready to ferment. Can’t recall the dosage, do a little research, but at 1600 ppm, you’ll be splash racking for weeks.........

 

[MoldyGrapes]

Hydrogen peroxide will blow the the sulfite out immediately and you’ll be ready to ferment. Can’t recall the dosage, do a little research, but at 1600 ppm, you’ll be splash racking for weeks.........

Well, you were right, I whipped the heck out of it and no change, so went the peroxide route. Ended up putting in 8 oz before the sulfites went down, but it worked!

Repitching the yeast now. Thanks for all the help.

 

[MoldyGrapes]

It work!

 

[Johnd]

Well, you were right, I whipped the heck out of it and no change, so went the peroxide route. Ended up putting in 8 oz before the sulfites went down, but it worked!

Repitching the yeast now. Thanks for all the help.

View attachment 60957

Happy I was able to help, hope it turns out great!!

 

[MoldyGrapes]

Happy I was able to help, hope it turns out great!!

A couple more questions, for white wine, when is it customary to rack out of the primary fermentation bucket and into a carboy?

Wine kits usually have you do this after fermentation is about done ~0.998 SG or so, then conduct secondary fermentation in a carboy for 2 weeks.

If I'm fermenting till dry, not doing MLF or aging on the lees, should I follow the same schedule or rack off sooner, closer to 1.020 SG?

Thanks

 

[Johnd]

A couple more questions, for white wine, when is it customary to rack out of the primary fermentation bucket and into a carboy?

Wine kits usually have you do this after fermentation is about done ~0.998 SG or so, then conduct secondary fermentation in a carboy for 2 weeks.

If I'm fermenting till dry, not doing MLF or aging on the lees, should I follow the same schedule or rack off sooner, closer to 1.020 SG?

Thanks

You can follow the same process, racking to carboy around 1.000, or you can rack earlier, or you can do the whole ferment in a carboy. Just don’t put too much in there During the active part of fermentation, don’t want any overflows.
Personally, I do my whites start to finish in 6 gallon carboys with 5 gallons in them, and keep it cool in my wine room at 58°F, a cool, long ferment to preserve volatile flavors and aromas.

 

[MoldyGrapes]

You can follow the same process, racking to carboy around 1.000, or you can rack earlier, or you can do the whole ferment in a carboy. Just don’t put too much in there During the active part of fermentation, don’t want any overflows.
Personally, I do my whites start to finish in 6 gallon carboys with 5 gallons in them, and keep it cool in my wine room at 58°F, a cool, long ferment to preserve volatile flavors and aromas.

Thanks!

 

[MoldyGrapes]

Made it all the way dry; now to settle for two weeks, then add back some sulfite and into a 5 gallon carboy for aging.

After reading a thread here about keeping the total sulfite added under 200 ppm, and considering I both airated and heated this poor guy, I suspect my finished product won't be of the highest caliber, but at least it's not a bucket of warm sugar water anymore.

 

[MoldyGrapes]

Wine was stabilized with 1/8 tsp potassium metabisulfite and 7g Lysozyme, topped up and is now ready to sit.

One more question, the PH is low ~3.04, so I was shooting for a pretty low free SO2, its now at 16 ppm, is this too low?



Thanks again for all the help.

 

[stickman]

If your pH is really that low then 16ppm free is fine. You may want to check the SO2 level again in a few weeks and adjust back up if necessary.

 

[MoldyGrapes]

If your pH is really that low then 16ppm free is fine. You may want to check the SO2 level again in a few weeks and adjust back up if necessary.

Ok, I'll keep an eye on it, thanks!

 

[MoldyGrapes]

Thanks to all your help the wine is bottled!

It's perhaps missing a bit of the acidity up front, but considering the abuse I put the juice through, not unexpected.

The nose is fantastic, though I've only done kit wine before.

We are calling it Vin Aseptise' which means sanitized wine in french.