After 4 weeks, then what

4 weeks is plenty of time for primary fermentation. I usually let it go one 7-10 days, then rack to secondary. I would rack the wine to another carboy and let it settle for another week or two before adding your potassium sulfates or whatever you use.

Nick - If all you fermented was cherry juice, yeast and nutrient, then you're likely to have rather weak wine. Very few fruits have anywhere near the concentration of sugars that grapes do, so just about every "fruit" wine recipe includes some amount of sugar along with the fruit, to get the alcohol level up high enough that the wine won't spoil after you bottle it. That's roughly 10% alcohol, I believe. If you are following a recipe that included some amount of sugar, you're probably fine. A good approach is to use a hydrometer before fermentation, to see how much sugar is available (and hence a fair idea of the alcohol level in the resulting wine). A decent hydrometer should cost you less than $10, so you really should have one, if you intend to continue winemaking.

If you really did just ferment the straight juice, you might want to consider adding some sugar and restarting fermentation (follow guidance for stuck fermentations in any home winemaking reference). This would allow you to get the alcohol level up to a stable range. Otherwise, you may need to refrigerate the wine, to prevent spoilage.

After the first rush of fermentation (7 to 10 days is typical), you need to get the wine into something airtight, with an airlock. Most folks use glass carboys or jugs, which are available in sizes from 1 gallon up to about 6 gallons (US).

You need to let the wine settle and clarify before you bottle, else you will have deposits of sediment in the bottles. That's not usually a health concern, but it is unsightly. The "stuff that stops fermentation" (potassium sorbate) doesn't really do that -- it stops yeast from multiplying. This prevents renewed fermentation after the bulk of the yeast has settled out. You really only need to add that if you add some sugar to the wine before bottling. In the case of cherry wine, though, you might very well want to add sugar, depending on the type of cherry and your taste in wines. If you do, make sure to add both the sorbate and metabisulfite. You need the metabisulfite to make sure the sorbate can do its job.

For general reference, check out these sites:

Both sites have good general descriptions of the process, sections on troubleshooting, and a variety of recipes.

Happy fermenting - Doug

Thanks for the help. btw, I added 2 pounds of sugar per gallon of squeezed juice. I will have to check out the local hobby store again for the hydrometer. Thanks a bunch

Nick

I have found the use of corn syrup to adjust SG better than sucrose (table sugar). It's easier on the head...and only adds about one dollar to the cost of your batch.