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First timer... question on racking

Hi everyone. I was hoping someone could clarify some instructions on my first attempt at wine with a kit. I started a Vitners Reserve Shiraz kit and the instructions say to rack into the secondary when gravity reaches 1.010 or below. My start grav was 1.080 and 7 days later it checked 1.011 this morning and this evening it checked in at 1.009. It's still burping through the airlock pretty frequently. I am expecting one each of a new 6 and 6.5 gallon carboys on monday. Can I wait for the carboys to show up before racking to one of them? Or does the wine need to be racked right away. Thanks Chris

Reply to
Chris Mares
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You can wait. A few extra days won't matter months down the line.

Kirk

Reply to
Kirk Mitchell

Thanks for the info!

Reply to
Chris Mares

I have never understood the reason people are told to rack before the wine completes fermentation. To be honest I never rack until the wine is below 0.997 and the fermentation has slowed considerably.

I assume the point is to protect the wine from oxidation because the volume of CO2 is lower as the wine finishes but I would only be concerned about that with a white, not a Shiraz.

I ferment in plastic pails with a vent valve. I rarely open them to stir, I just swirl the wine with the lid on and listen to the vent, you can hear it's pitch change when the wine is finishing.

That said, kit makers know what works best for their product. I do agree you will not have any issues waiting this out though, just keep the lid on if you have one.

Joe

Reply to
Joe Sallustio

Disagree with those answering above. If you follow thier standard proceedures you do primary in a bucket. You need to rack from the bucket to a secondary vessel, a carboy, or the wine will oxidise.

When wine is starting the yeast need lots of air for reproduction. Hence you use a bucket. Alcohol is low so oxidation is not a major problem for the first few days. But by the time SG drops to 1.010, alcohol is starting to get high and you should have all the yeast cells you need and fermentation is slowing down. Then the wine must be protected from air.

Not so important with kits but as fermentation slows the fruit will settle to the bottom and it is a good idea to get the wine off the pulp as well.

Ray

Reply to
Ray Calvert

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