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After
three weeks in the cold, the wine is siphoned again. This is known as
the second racking. On the left you can see the accumulation of sediment
on the bottom of the carboy. It is also quite normal to see crystal
deposition on the sides of the carboy. This is the percipitation of
potassium bitartrate which is a naturally occuring substance in grape
juice. The longer a wine is aged in the cold, the more crystals will
fall out. This means fewer crystals will percipitate in your wine
bottles. To achieve clarity in a shorter period of time you can use
gelatine (1/2 level tsp dissolved in 2 oz. of boiling water per 5
gallons) and kieselsol finings (1 oz. per 5 gallons added 10 minutes
after gelatine) in the white wines. They are added to the freshly
siphoned wine at the second racking. After one additional racking (3 - 4
weeks later), the white wine will be visibly clearer. If you do not wish
to add finings, the white wine can take as long as 6 to 7 months (with
rackings every 4 weeks) to clear, when stored at 5oC (40o
F). Racking every 3 - 4 weeks, red wine will clarify without the
addition of finings in about 6 months at a storage temperature of 5oC
(40o F) .The picture below illustrates the state of the wine
before (with only the finings added) and after filtration. Both wines
are three months old.
Bottling
When your wine is clear, it is ready to
bottle. Taste the wine, and sweeten it (optional) to your taste using a
sweetener / conditioner that can be found at any winemaking store. Never
add table sugar or nutrasweet. Your wine will referment and become
fizzy. If you need to sweeten; start by adding 1 oz. of sweetener per 5
gallons of wine and do not exceed a maximum dosage of 5 oz. for the
whole 5 gallon batch. The wine must be stabilized a second time (1 level
teaspoon per 5 gallons of wine) just prior to bottling. Age the wine to
the desired varietal characteristics.
Optional Equipment
Optional equipment such as floor corkers,
shrink tops and labels allow you to finish off your winemaking
experience with a professional look. Why not, you already have a
professional quality wine in your bottles. The possibilities of
winemaking don't end there. It is possible to purchase filtering
machines that cut the total winemaking time in half and speed production
of clear wine. Eye catching blank label styles are available for those
who are creative with a laser or inkjet printer. A good wine rack for
your finished bottles provides stable storage and decent protection for
your investment. |
