Time between Bottling and Drinking.

[Fog]

So I have a family get-together over the 4th of July. I have some wine that is bulk aging that I would like to bring with me. Mostly Fruit (Pear, Banana, etc.) and Whites (Pinot Grigio, Luna Bianca, etc...) They have been aging for about four month so far. So how much time should I plan on between Bottling and drinking? Or should I just bring some of the stuff that I have and let those continue to age for the full year... I do have some wine that I can bring but I think this next round of Wine will be even better...
What to do, What to do???

And Thanks again Turock for the advice on the clearing the Pear, It looks GREAT!!!

 

[JohnT]

I use natural corks, so I like to give it a week to allow the cork to expand and also get moist. It make it easier to open that way.

Outside of that, I would say that the wine is ready to drink at any time after the cork goes in.

 

[bkisel]

I'm thinking you can bottle anytime between now and June 4th. June 4th would allow for a month in the bottle.

 

[Pumpkinman]

I find that the wine is better after a month in the bottle, compared to drinking it right after bottling.

 

[Geronimo]

I agree that it can take a month for the bottle shock to settle down. Since they aren't big reds, you can plan out the bottling at your convenience.

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

I tend to have a glass or two before and during bottling. For your event a month is good.

 

[JohnT]

Consider it this way..

I am sure that your wine is very drinkable before, during, and after bottling.

I would agree with waiting a month if I were placing the wine into competition where having the wine at it's absolute and ultimate best is important.

If I wanted to simply share a couple of glasses with family, however, I would pull a 1 hour old cork in a heartbeat.

 

[Fog]

John,

I agree with the pulling a cork to share with family, I had thought that I had read somewhere about bottle shock, so I was trying to see if I was remembering things right or off my rocker. I started making wine a year ago and have read/learned so much in that time I think I'm starting to get overload...

Thanks everyone for the replies, I will probably wait until end of May beginning of June to bottle the ones I want to take with, the rest will do their thing until the 1 year mark.

Rob

 

[JohnT]

Bottle shock is a real condition, but it is not like oxidation (which will render a wine undrinkable).

 

[BernardSmith]

What is the cause of bottle shock? Is it because of the addition of SO2 that everything that was nicely balanced in the carboy is thrown off kilter for a few weeks? Or is there something else going on - carbonic acids from residual CO2 becoming more detectable due to the disturbance of the wine?

 

[JohnT]

The traditional viewpoint is that Bottle shock occurs when a corked bottle of wine is agitated. Bottles of wine are left to "Re-settle" after they have been transported or man-handled.

Personally, I think it has more to do with bottle sediment being kicked in the bottle during excessive shaking.

 

[Geronimo]

http://winemakermag.com/your-first-wine-from-a-kit

Scroll down to the part called "Aging the wine".