RJ Spagnols RJS Winery Series Wash. Merlot

[Flem]

I need a little reassurance and guidance. I'm at Day 21 (secondary carboy) of this particular kit. My SG has been at .998 for, at least, a few, maybe several,days. Instructions sayit should be where I am at around Day 28. Well, I'm quite early.
Here's my situation: I want to degas in the bucket, but my bucket is being used for maybe 5 more days. I haven't seen any activity for several days. My carboy isn't totally full. It'sover the shoulder, but still a couple of inches below the neck, exposing a considerable amount of surface area. I am airlocked. My main questions are, "Am I still protected or am I risking oxidation. Should I top it up with another wine for these last 5 days."
Any and all suggestions will be appreciated.
Thanks,
Mike

 

[wjdonahue]

The time frames shouldn't worry you. If you had been 1 degree warmer than there lab was when they came up with the time frame, this could have been the difference. As I stated on another topic today, NEVER go by the time frames used in the instructions, they are only a ball park figure. Always go by the SG readings regardless of how many days have gone by. If your temps had been 2 degrees cooler, you would probably still be in fermentation.
5 Days shouldn't make much difference, especially if you are that close to the top, and especially if you haven't taken the lock off since fermentation.
I personally don't like adding any wine to top it off, other than the wine that I am fermenting, so I use Argon Gas to cap it and keep the o2 away. You can get cheap small cannisters in some winemaking shops. With that small a space, for that short of a time, you have very little oxygen there to disperse into the wine anyway. Where you can get into trouble is if you keep removing the lock, and adding more oxygen into the space.

 

[v1rotate]

The wine is loaded with CO2, Mike. There won't be any issues with leaving it for 5 more days.

 

[robie]

Your wine is protected by lots of CO2. No worries.