should there be a concern over the age of top up wine?

[Putterrr]

I'm making another RJS EPWS Cab and was going to use a bottle of he same wine for top up. Should I have any concerns with using a 3 year old wine to top up a fresh batch? I always wondered about this practice.

thx and cheers

 

[Boatboy24]

Other than not drinking it by itself? I don't think so.

 

[Elizajean]

I would not think so. However, I find I cannot bring myself to reduce my wine inventory by topping off. I always try to find a similar commercial wine for topping, and not necessarily the cheapest...something I would be willing to drink and enjoy.

 

[joeswine]

In my oppion I never top úp , I either rack down or top off with nitrogen.
You never know what your adding to the taste but also the chemical composition... Could be not desirable in the end. Just my thoughts.

 

[kuziwk]

I'm making another RJS EPWS Cab and was going to use a bottle of he same wine for top up. Should I have any concerns with using a 3 year old wine to top up a fresh batch? I always wondered about this practice.

thx and cheers

In my opinion it really depends...I top up with my own wine as it's much cheaper. Is it red or white? Is it vinegar or just a little oxidised? Personally if it's either of those I wouldn't use it. I did top up with some savingnon blanc I made a while back. It was super cheap and it tasted even worse now...not oxidised or vinegar but just a acidic and there was no fruit.

 

[crushday]

In my oppion I never top úp , I either rack down or top off with nitrogen.
You never know what your adding to the taste but also the chemical composition... Could be not desirable in the end. Just my thoughts.

Top off with nitrogen? Please explain. I’m leaning in...

 

[Rocky]

I, too, "size down" rather than "top up" for the reason Joe states. I have glass containers including 13+ gallon demijohns and 6.5, 6, 5, 3, 1 and 1/2 gallon. There are also carboys that are variously rated from 2.5 to 2.9 gallons but I don't have any. Using old wine bottles, I can accommodate 3 liter, 1500 ml, 750 ml and 375 ml. Also, there are holed stoppers for all of these sizes.

 

[kuziwk]

Top off with nitrogen? Please explain. I’m leaning in...

I used to use CO2 but never trusted it for long term storage. Now I just use it on wine bottles that I don't finish. I don't know of any method to really ensure that innerting the wine with a different gas will ensure 100% of the oxygen is removed. There is a device..can't remeber the name but still wouldn't trust it.

 

[joeswine]

Hay Rocky long time no hear from you.

 

[joeswine]

You need to think outside the box , as well as having tools in the tool box.
Nitrogen gas as a topper has been around longer than me.
If you followed my wine making thread's you'll very rarely see my carboys totally filled.
A good airlock and bubbler fit along with the nitrogen addition , I can honestly say may once I've had a problem with damaging my wines, that's about 20 years of experience in the field of winemaking.

 

[joeswine]

Oh by the way Rocky's correct .