- Joined
- May 1, 2022
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I think as we get more experience we change our racking schedules.
When I did my first wine in the 80s, i was told to rack after 2 weeks, again in 2 weeks and every month after that
I now rack the first time according to what I am fermenting, grapes on skins is a week, fruit wines from fruit depends on how the head is developing, usually about 10 days, fruit from extracts or juice as early as 2 weeks, each of those I am balancing getting the heavy must out before it attracts something I do not want.
My second rack depends on how much is settling out. it is normally about a month after the wine started
Racking after that comes from experience with that style of wine and if I am going to use fining agents. Wines that finish quick can get a few rackings before they are 2 months old, wines that take a year can wait a few months before racking as they do not settle lees like quick finishing wines.
In my experience, wines from fruit with high pectin content need a lot more racking unless you use fining agents early.
and, ah, use of fining agents can open a wormhole about when to use them and whether to use them that you need a bag of popcorn to get through.
my advice to a new wine make is to take meticulous notes about everything and let the results you get to create the habits you will use. I think the biggest lessons come from mistakes, and without making mistakes we do not learn.
When I did my first wine in the 80s, i was told to rack after 2 weeks, again in 2 weeks and every month after that
I now rack the first time according to what I am fermenting, grapes on skins is a week, fruit wines from fruit depends on how the head is developing, usually about 10 days, fruit from extracts or juice as early as 2 weeks, each of those I am balancing getting the heavy must out before it attracts something I do not want.
My second rack depends on how much is settling out. it is normally about a month after the wine started
Racking after that comes from experience with that style of wine and if I am going to use fining agents. Wines that finish quick can get a few rackings before they are 2 months old, wines that take a year can wait a few months before racking as they do not settle lees like quick finishing wines.
In my experience, wines from fruit with high pectin content need a lot more racking unless you use fining agents early.
and, ah, use of fining agents can open a wormhole about when to use them and whether to use them that you need a bag of popcorn to get through.
my advice to a new wine make is to take meticulous notes about everything and let the results you get to create the habits you will use. I think the biggest lessons come from mistakes, and without making mistakes we do not learn.
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