When to use Campden Tablets

Hello,


I am making 15 gallons merlot and 15 gallons pinot grigio.
I have been reading alot of different posts about campden tablets.
I was wondering when should I use Campden Tablets. After the first racking, the second, or right before bottling?
I justed racked the merlot yesterday and I amgoing to rack the pinot grigio on Thursday.
The place I bought the juice from gave no directions about adding any chemicals except the yeast at the beginning.

Thanks,
Bryan

If you have an so2 meter (I don't!), you want to keep the wine at 50 ppm or so. What I do is add one campden tablet per gallon when making the must, at every other racking, and at bottling. As near as I can tell from doing some online research, this should closely approximate that figure.

I use one per gallon right before bottling, I crush and mix them in, wait 24hrs, de-gass with a paddle connected to my drill then bottle. I age all my juice for a year before bottling and have never had a problem with bacteria etc. I rack multiple times over the year and let it clear naturally as well. I just make sure I sanitize very well at each racking, Ken

I usually only add campden tables when I make the must as well. I just wait for the yeasties to fall naturally and then rack them out. I dont want any more SO2 in my alcohol than I have to. Once it ferments the alcohol should be enough to kill any bacteria.