I don't even know how to begin this thread but that it is absolutely true. OK, here goes... I have been making beer and wine for the better part of 30 years. In short, I know what I am doing (most of the time lol) even if I am a bit lazy when it comes to the whole thing.
So, a year ago I put together a wine kit, went through all the processes etc. and transferred into my secondary "better bottle" plastic carboy and sat it in my temperature controled freezer to age. One thing after another, it sat there undistrubed but for filling up the airlock every now and again for a year. The last time I looked at it a couple of weeks ago, the wine level was about 4-6 inches from the BOTTOM of the neck. I NEVER topped it off, NEVER! I know you are supposed to but I didn't.
So today, I decided to get off my butt and bottle the wine. I wasn't paying any attention really, there was nothing but water in the airlock per usual and then I lifted it out of the freezer to sit on top when to my absolute amazement, I noticed the wine level was up to the brim of the carboy and there was wine now coming out into the airlock. I was shocked! This can't be! It is impossible!
OK, I thought, it started fermenting again and there were dregs on the bottom that pushed up the level. I thought spoilage? No, I took a sample and it is a perfectly clear, fruity Pinot Noir, no off tastes whatsoever. I emptied the contents into my bottling bucket expecting to find a load of dregs at the bottom - and NOTHING! Not even the tiniest layer. No fermentation.
Now I have heard of turning water into wine but I have never heard of something like this happening. Can anyone out there account for this happening?
So, a year ago I put together a wine kit, went through all the processes etc. and transferred into my secondary "better bottle" plastic carboy and sat it in my temperature controled freezer to age. One thing after another, it sat there undistrubed but for filling up the airlock every now and again for a year. The last time I looked at it a couple of weeks ago, the wine level was about 4-6 inches from the BOTTOM of the neck. I NEVER topped it off, NEVER! I know you are supposed to but I didn't.
So today, I decided to get off my butt and bottle the wine. I wasn't paying any attention really, there was nothing but water in the airlock per usual and then I lifted it out of the freezer to sit on top when to my absolute amazement, I noticed the wine level was up to the brim of the carboy and there was wine now coming out into the airlock. I was shocked! This can't be! It is impossible!
OK, I thought, it started fermenting again and there were dregs on the bottom that pushed up the level. I thought spoilage? No, I took a sample and it is a perfectly clear, fruity Pinot Noir, no off tastes whatsoever. I emptied the contents into my bottling bucket expecting to find a load of dregs at the bottom - and NOTHING! Not even the tiniest layer. No fermentation.
Now I have heard of turning water into wine but I have never heard of something like this happening. Can anyone out there account for this happening?
