Topping off a cherry wine.

I think what we were giving you were different options. In my first year of winemaking, I topped up with water, which not a lot of people like to do, but I did it and my wine turned out fine. While I have never used marbles, there are a lot of people who do that rather than dilute the wine. Topping up with a similar wine, as you want to do, is fine as well, although others would argue that the finished product will be slightly changed because of what you add. I've added a similar wine for top-up, and I couldn't tell the difference. As I have progressed in my winemaking skills, I have learned to make a little more with each batch to use as top up, but with a wine kit this might not be possible. I'm sorry it seems like we're giving different advice, but there are pros & cons to each method, and it is up to the individual winemaker to choose which they prefer to do. Sounds like what you want to do will be just fine. ;) Darlene

My personal topping off choices include, in order of preference:

Topping with water has the disadvantage of not only reducing the flavor of your wine, but also the acidity, target alcohol, and (if applicable) sweetness. It throws off all of the metrics that you tried to achieve. There are winemakers who purposefully account for this by slightly overshooting SG and acid in the initial must.

Water amelioration CAN be beneficial as a tool to reduce excess acid or alcohol. The specific volumes in question do make a difference. Your numbers above indicate a 2L addition to 23L = 25L, or an 8% dilution - not too terrible. But generally, it's not a desirable thing to do.

Roger Quinta do Placer

Do you guys have to worry about oxydation of the extra wine that you make for top up? Or because it's such a small amount, it may not matter?

Put another way, After I top off with the extra wine I made in a separate jug I'll obviously have a lot of head space in this small jug. Is it safe to use this wine for later rackings? I say safe, because it will have head space and presumably be oxydized.

Rosé yes; semi-dry no.

Tom S

Phil, I would not use _any_ amount of oxidized wine for topping. The easiest solution is to store any remaining wine in smaller and smaller, _full_ containers. When I get down to less than a full 750-milliliter bottle, I just drink the remaining wine. Good luck, Lum Del Mar, California, USA

Good question. Over the past 3 years, I've collected a case full of odd sized glass bottles from wine bottles, Champaign bottles, wine cooler bottles, and even the little, little bottles used for specialty 1 serving milk jug, so I usually have a bottle to fit what I have without the headspace. I've also collected extra bungs to fit some of them. If I don't have a container with a bung and airlock, I will store the top-up in my fridge. So far, I have not noticed any oxidation. Right now, I have three various size containers in my fridge with top-up. It doesn't stay in there long though. If I need a little top-up for a white/red wine, I might add whatever white or red top-up I have in the fridge. I basically do 1 gallon batches, so whatever I add I don't think makes all that much difference - and it is usually not that much which I need (1/4 cup or less). Hope this helps. Darlene

I agree with others above that the best way to top off is to avoid topping by using different size carboys. If that is not possible then top up with a similar wine. If the wine is not obviously the same, as is the case for your selection, then a test is in order. Try mixing 100 ml of cherry wine with 8 or 10 ml of the wine you are thinking of using. Taste the original cherry and then taste the blend. If it changes it for the worse, don't use it. If it is for the better or unchanged, use it.

Ray

Er, Rosé comes in semi-dry, sweet, and dry.

Are you saying that I should use a dry Rosé/weißherbst?

Wow! What a fantastic FUN sounding idea! I mean it sounds like a cool plan as I can play wine master and dick with the wine. I'm gonna try this. You have also given me ideas for blending other things with the wine. I think I'm gonna quite like this hobby!

I only have 25 liter carboys. They are the funky European kind. So far I've only made beer in'em. I'm gonna keep my eye out for a 20 liter one. Obvously I'd have wine left over after racking to from a

Yes that helps very much. I have two liter beer growlers and 1 liter beer bottles and half liter beer bottles and a 4 liter jug that I make mead in. So yes, I do have enough various sized containers to do what you suggest. Thanks for the tip!

Sounds like a good excuse to purchase a 23L carboy. ;)

Steve

Yes - unless you want to start the fermentation up again!

Unless, of course, you've sorbated and sulfited the wine (which I personally wouldn't care to do because I don't like the taste of sorbate). In that case you can add sweet or off-dry rosé.

Tom S

Now your getting the spirit, Phil. Who says this has to be a dry hobby! (Pun intended so go ahead and throw rocks.) It is good to have some 1/2 gal and 1 gal carboy's handy. Be sure to use carboys that you can get your siphon wand into. I also like to have some 2.8 and 3 gal carboys but that can come later.

Have fun.

Ray