Basic Winemaking: Wine
from Juice:
Fall Bright, The Winemakers Shoppe
Recommended initial TA is .7 to .85 See Acid testing,
Fruit Wines under Specialty Wines, then the entire section under Acid Reduction and Addition.
General
conversion of sugar to alcohol is approximately 58% (0.575%~)
Initial sugar or brix should be 21 to23%. See Sugar adjustment by calculation or chart.
Potassium Metabisulfite
is a form of SO2 and added initially it will inhibit the yeast but not kill it. It may take a
day or two to get started. Follow instructions on the product
label. If you over-dose, the cure is time, waiting, patience.
Campden tablets may be sodium metabisulfite or
potassium metabisulfite. Follow instructions on label. Normally they are
used at a rate of 1 or 2 tablets per gallon, delivering 75 PPM per tablet, per
gallon.
Cold pressed grapes (red or white) require 15 pounds of fruit per gallon yield.
1. Our juices are sulfited; no additional sulfite should be added prior to fermenting.
2. To ferment take the level of the juice down to the shoulder of the carboy and equip with an airlock ½ filled with water. The balance of the juice may ferment in a glass gallon jug with an airlock. Our juices are refrigerated. Warm to room temperature by waiting 24 hours to avoid cold shock to the yeast.
3. Re-hydrate the yeast with water according to packet instructions (no longer than 10 minutes as there are no nutrients present).
4. Add yeast to room temperature juice to avoid "cold shock".
5. Ferment 1 to 2 weeks or until a definite line of sediment is evident. Transfer via siphon to a clean container, add proper metabisulfite: 1/8 teaspoon per 5 gallons of red and ¼ teaspoon
per 5 gallons of white wine and top up with the reserved juice and/or wine from your cellar to within 1 inch of the stopper.
This transfer is called racking.
6. Ferment 1 to 2 months more. Rack when bubbling has ceased or has become very slow and a definite line of sediment (lees) shows. Add proper metabisulfite. Top up the new vessel with wine to within 1 inch of the stopper.
7. Rack, sulfite, and fine as necessary.
8. Wine should be brilliant, having fallen bright. Now, you can cold stabilize. Put glycerin or sufficient alcohol (vodka) in the airlock to prevent freezing. If you wish to ADD SORBATE, do so now at the rate of 1 to 2 grams per gallon. You must have proper meta levels (run a SO2 test) when using sorbate. Dose the meta at the same time you do the sorbate. Place the carboy at 20-25oF for 2 weeks or more. Excess tartrates will precipitate form the wine. This mellows the wine by reducing the acid. It will help stabilize the wine by preventing these tartrates from settling out after bottling. Rack into a clean carboy while cold and adjust meta. If you add SORBATE without cold stabilizing, allow 24 hours before bottling. However, the addition of any potassium ion will make the wine unstable. This is why cold stabilizing is recommended after adding sorbate.
Filter if desired and bottle when stable. Always rinse bottles with a C-Brite or a meta solution. Drain well. The drainer trees are very nice for this purpose.
NOTE: Check your water level in the airlock frequently. They can go dry. Some winemakers use colored water to help visibility. Some use a metabisulfite solution for airlocks.