WineXpert Winexpert Pinot Grigio- when exactly to start clarification?

[Wade E]

You say "I usually bottle my (non-kit) wine when it looks clear". I take this as you are already a wine maker so my thoughts are that you should really know that racking a few times is the best thing to do and bulk aging is always best. Wine is a patience vehicle. Bottling this early will only lead to sediment in the bottle. I always let the wine sit on the lees a little extra time more then they say so that the lees compact and with the carboy tilted so that I can then tilt it back the opposite way and rack from the shallow end and get much less lees transfer. I always rack my wines at least 3 times. Never bottle from a carboy with lees in there.

 

[blackcrk]

Hi,

I don't think I did a very good job in my last post asking about how closely I should follow wine kit directions. My concern is that the wine kit directions do not suggest that several rackings are good idea, they seem to suggest that one racking is sufficient, and if you are uncomfortable bottlig from a carboy that has a lot off lees, a second racking (just before bottlg, I think) is ok.

I think Wade's post answers my question and may support my tendency to not follow the directions of this wine kit (as I understand them).

If I understand the directions, they say to start clarification after fermentation stops. The directions say to leave the wine for 14 days to clarify. The directions say to check for clarity after 14 days by pouring into a wine glass and checking in good light. If the wine looks clear, go ahead and bottle (as far as I can tell, the directions are saying to bottle from the carboy which has only been racked once - from the primary to the secondary, i.e. bottle from the secondary which will have a ton of lees). If the wine does not appear to be clear, wait another seven days- and then bottle. Let me quote a note in the bottling secton of the directions:

"NOTE: If you are concerned about disturbing the sediment on the bottom of the carboy when bottling, clean and sanitize a primary fermenter or carboy, rack the wine into it, and bottle from there."

In my previous post, my concern was that the directions do not suggest racking off the lees before bottling as long as a sample looks clear in a wine glass under good light. My limited experience in nonkit winemaking and what I've read is consistent with Wade's post- rack until you can't detect any sediment in a new carboy (giving several days for sediment to form), then bottle.

My thought is that the wine kit directions are geared toward making a good wine with the least amount of effort- after all, if you get a touch of sediment in the bottom of your bottle, it's not the end of the world.

I was just trying to understand, what possible reason one would have to not rack the wine when it's sitting on an inch or more of lees and looks perfectly clear (I have the carboy sitting on newspaper- I can read the newspaper through the wine in carboy - that's pretty clear). When I say rack the wine, I don't mean to bottle at this point. I mean that I think it should be racked into a clean carboy and left for several days to see if additional sediment forms. I think that is what Wade is saying.

 

[Racer]

It looks like you are skipping over step 4 in the instructions with the way you have things worded there.

Re- read the end of step 3 it tells you to let your wine settle out for 8 days.At the end of that time you are to proceed with step 4 racking the wine into a clean carboy and letting it sit for an additional 14 days before going on to step 5 bottling.

 

[cpfan]

First, my reading of this thread is that we are talking about a Winexpert Vintners Reserve World Vineyard Pinot Grigio. If not, please ignore the follolwing.

I have just looked at the instructions that are online for this brand. If something else came in the box, well that changes things.

Racer: There is no Step 5.

blackcrk: Step 4 includes the following paragraph in what appear to be red letters and larger print.

NOTE: If you are concerned
about disturbing the sediment
on the bottom of the carboy
when bottling, clean and
sanitise a primary fermenter
or carboy, rack the wine into it,
and bottle from there.

Steve

 

[Racer]

Sorry, I did miss the reference to the wv. Did not mean to mis-lead anyone.

 

[blackcrk]

CPFAN has the right directions. I think perhaps I was reading the directions a little too literally. There are 4 steps, I've been working on the assumption that step 1 should be fully completed before going on to step 2, etc, etc. The reference to racking into a primary fermenter is in step 4. Step 3 says to degas, add the isinglas, etc. then let sit for 14 days at which time it directs us to check the clarity.

My interpretation of racking to primary before bottling in step 4 was to do what the beer brewers generally do. After fermentation is complete the beer is racked to a bottling bucket leaving the lees behind in the carboy. Then immediately bottled. This makes dealing with all the bottles, the spring-loaded bottle filling wand, and the bottle capping much less stressful.

Anyway, I just racked the pinot into a new carboy. It's sparkling and bright and tastes pretty good too! I expect it will be in bottles by next weekend.

Thanks agin for sharing your experience and insight.

Ed