Why sulfate with every rack?

Winemaking Talk - Winemaking Forum

Help Support Winemaking Talk - Winemaking Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
What’s the best way to test your SO2? Is there an inexpensive way? I’m fermenting right now, may I balance my SO2 immediately after its complete?

There are some Aeration/Oxidation kits and electronic equipment available for testing sulfites in your wine. Below are some links to a few options.

Frankly, the first time you add sulfite is the easiest addition, since you know that, technically, you are starting with zero, so it's easy to calculate what to add. After you've added sulfite, it gets used up over time as it reacts with oxygen and performs its microbial functions, some also becomes "bound" in the wine. Testing allows you to determine your current sulfite levels, and therefore, how much you need to add.

Even though I have sulfite testing equipment (Vinmetrica), I only use it at bottling, and opt to maintain my sulfite levels during bulk storage by using the "rule of thumb" you've probably seen described here. That is, add 1/4 tsp of sulfite for every 6 gallons of wine as your initial treatment, and every three months thereafter until you bottle. I do test / adjust sulfite at bottling using my Vinmetrica.

During the first couple months of your wines life, after you've made your first sulfite addition, you may rack a couple of times, and that's OK, as long as you're not constantly opening the wine to smell and taste it. You can give it a small boost if you're concerned with multiple rackings. Once it's just sitting and you're leaving it alone, properly airlocked, you should have no worries at all with the 1/4 tsp / 6 gal method.

https://vinmetrica.com/wine-sulfite-analysis-so2-how-to-video/
https://morewinemaking.com/products/economy-aerationoxidation-free-so2-test-kit.html
 
Didn't know the best place to post this so I just picked this one. Normally I'll test my sulfite levels and adjust accordingly to get to 60 or so ppm. My 2019 Chilean PN and S African CS completed MLF and were placed in a 25 and 30 liter barrel respectively the beginning of July at around 60 ppm. On September 23rd without testing and added 1/3 tsp and 1/2 tsp. I know it's more than recommended but they were in barrels. Yesterday I did a rack and return and this morning I tested them and they were at 90 and 110 ppm. This is the first time since I was able to test SO2 that I didn't test prior to adding sulfites. Here is the real kicker, the CS looks oxidized.
 
Back
Top