I am currently getting into wine making and have a sauvignon blanc clarifying right now. I bought a kit for that wine, but I didn't follow the instructions because I wanted to do it right (following jack keller stuff). I bought my own sorbate and sulfites, and the only thing I used from the kit was the juice.
Now, the first half of the process seems pretty simple:
1) Ferment in bucket
2) Transfer to carboy at around 1.020
3) Rack to new carboy after 30 days (adding sulfites)
4) Continue to rack every 30 days until clear (adding sulfites every other rack)
The second half of the process is where i am questioning some things. Most of what I have read says to follow something like this:
5) Bulk age for 6-12 months
6) Stabilize with sorbate and sulfites
7) Back sweeten (if desired)
8) Wait a week or two
9) Bottle
However, I am wondering why even bother bulk aging, why not just bottle and let it age there? Either way, by the time it's clear it has already been a few months since the fermentation stopped. Also, do you even need to stabilize? For a dry wine, if you are following good sanitary procedures and not adding more sugar then it shouldn't ferment more. For a sweetened wine, if you add sugar after its no longer dropping lees then there should be no more yeast to ferment any of the sugar you add.
I guess my question boils down to this: Why not bottle immediately after you are satisfied that your wine is no longer dropping any lees, without the extra steps?
Now, the first half of the process seems pretty simple:
1) Ferment in bucket
2) Transfer to carboy at around 1.020
3) Rack to new carboy after 30 days (adding sulfites)
4) Continue to rack every 30 days until clear (adding sulfites every other rack)
The second half of the process is where i am questioning some things. Most of what I have read says to follow something like this:
5) Bulk age for 6-12 months
6) Stabilize with sorbate and sulfites
7) Back sweeten (if desired)
8) Wait a week or two
9) Bottle
However, I am wondering why even bother bulk aging, why not just bottle and let it age there? Either way, by the time it's clear it has already been a few months since the fermentation stopped. Also, do you even need to stabilize? For a dry wine, if you are following good sanitary procedures and not adding more sugar then it shouldn't ferment more. For a sweetened wine, if you add sugar after its no longer dropping lees then there should be no more yeast to ferment any of the sugar you add.
I guess my question boils down to this: Why not bottle immediately after you are satisfied that your wine is no longer dropping any lees, without the extra steps?