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Racking Question

Hi, I'm making a Wine Expert Rioja kit and I have a question. According to the directions, Step 3 calls for stabilising the wine by adding metabisulhite, sorbate and then stirring. I completed this 9 days ago and last night I performed Step 4--Racking and Clarification. After the stabilising step there was a good two inches of sediment on the bottom of the carboy--I racked the wine off of this layer as I was under the impression it was gross lees. The instructions didn't say either way, so I made the decision to go ahead and leave the sediment behind. Was that the correct thing to do? It's too late now, but in case that was not the best move I'd like to avoid the same mistake in the future.

Thanks for your help.

Reply to
john.lemaux
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Exactly correct. No problem. You did top up the wine when you put it back in carboy didn't you?

Ray

Reply to
Ray Calvert

Yes, I topped up the wine.

Thanks for the reply.

John

Reply to
john.lemaux

You don't actually say when you added the fining agents (chitosan or isinglass, depending on kit). If you added them as part of Step 3, then that was correct (and according to the instructions).

My understanding of Step4 is that you are supposed to rack of the sediment, so you did good.

Steve

Reply to
Steve Waller

Steve, My kit called for chitosan and it was added during step 3.

Thanks, John

Reply to
john.lemaux

That's right John. I keep forgetting that there are other fining agents than isinglass.

Steve

Reply to
Steve Waller

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