>Well, it's really hard to say unless you provide a little more
> >informatin. What was your starting gravity and your ending gravity? Was
> >there any residual sugar left? How long did you age it before bottling? > >
> >If it was not aged for long and was not vigorously stirred to let the
> >dissolved gas escape, it could just be CO2 that was left after
> >fermentation. But, if your corks "popped" as you describe, I would say
> >you had additional fermentation in the bottle. Thus, you probably had
> >some sugar left in your wine (it wasn't done fermenting).
> >
> >Another possibility is that it underwent malolactic fermentation in the
> >bottle. This acts on malic acid, not on sugar.
> >
> >Do you have any more details about this batch?
>
> The whole process went like clockwork as far as SG's within the
> specific time periods. The batch was a result of an attempt at making
> grape jelly. The stuff wouldn't set but made great pancake syrup. I
> opted to combine it with about 10 lbs of blackberries that I had
> picked earlier and make some wine. Fermentation went well and the
> batch settled out nicely, ie. very clear. I started it in late
> October and racked it a few times over the winter. I bottled it in
> late May as there was no sign of ANY activity. Nothing else was added
> prior to bottling. Maybe I should have stirred it more vigorously.
> I'll try opening a bottle and let it sit for a little while.
> Otherwise it wasn't a complete failure, it tastes very nice. :)
>
You didn't say if there was any sugar left after fermentation. Any wine with residual sugar can start fermenting again at any time. I had one start fermenting after being still for more than a year. If you have residual sugar, you need to stabilize it with sorbate and sulfite to prevent renewed fermentation.
Anyway, I'm glad it tastes good. You can certainly open them ahead of time and let the gas escape before drinking, or better yet, drink it fizzy -- I like that sometimes. Just be careful that your bottles don't get too carbonated or they may pop the corks, or worse, explode on you. If it were me, I'd probably keep them chilled.