Is racking mandatory?

[aryoung1980]

I just pitched the yeast in my first wine kit. I'm making a Pinot Nero (Noir) from Reserve du Chateau. I replaced the kit's yeast with 10 grams of Lalvin Bourgovin RC 212.

My kit's instructions say that I should rack the wine once my SG gets between 1.010 and 0.998. Is there any reason why I cannot leave the wine alone until it hits terminal gravity (0.990 - 0.998) and then rack it for degassing/clearing?


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[cnorris728]

My understanding is that failing to rack the wine off the sediment negatively affects the flavor. I'm a novice myself but every recipe I have read and every website says to, so I always do.

 

[bernardsmith]

I have never made a kit but I suspect that the instructions to rack when the gravity reaches about 1.010 is to help ensure that you don't simply forget to rack and leave the wine in an open fermenter allowing it to oxidize. While the wine is at about 1.010 it is likely producing a fair amount of CO2 that will blanket the surface but when it drops closer to 1.000 the amount of CO2 being produced is far less and the protective blanket of this gas is far thinner and less effective.
Now, that said, if you are familiar with wine making and you have a good grasp of the principles and issues then it strikes me that you could leave the wine in the primary until it drops closer to 1.000 but if something goes wrong in the secondary or when you bottle then your "warranty" with the company that made the kit would be null and void because you failed to follow their instructions. However, since you substituted the yeast they provided it would seem to me that all warranties are null and void anyway so that you have nothing left to lose...

 

[jensmith]

Airlock after 1.010 or befor ten days have passed. Whichever comes first.
I have simply airlcoked my wine after I had taken out the used fruit. I did not rack for another week. ( carboys were all full!!) As long as the yeast is not stressed and no bad microbes got into the must you are fine for a few weeks. As a beginner wine maker who does not know how to check for off flavors or other nasties it would be foolish not to rack the wine when the instructions say. The first racking is the most important. You can easily get stressed yeast in the first active ferment. Left in the wine they will start to give the wine a bad taste. Racking off the gross lease that first time in important. You get rid of most of the ussed up and dead yeasties. You will not remove all the yeast. Some good active yeast will still be working and floating around. The remaining rackings can be delayed as needed or wanted.
Also. You will find it impossible to rack off only clear wine with no sedament with a large amount of sedament on the bottom. Not without loosing lots of good wine! Several rackings are needed. Unless you like cloudy wine or sludge in the bottom of each bootle.

I am terrable about following directions to the letter. However the first time threw I do try to. It makes tweaking the recipie so much easier the next time threw!

With all that said, there is no "only way to make wine method". Many ways work. Its just nice to have your first wine be drinkable


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[aryoung1980]

I appreciate all of the responses.

I understand that wine needs to be racked periodically to get it off of the lees. I just thought it was odd to rack it while it was still fermenting.

I've done quite a bit of reading since I posted this but am still trying to decide the best route for my wine kit.

Right now I'm leaning towards air locking my bucket between 1.010-1.020 and finishing primary fermentation. Once I'm at/near FG, I'll rack to a carboy on top of medium toast French oak cubes. After periodical tastings, I'll rack the wine off the cubes and lees when I like the oak flavor for an extended aging in another carboy. I may rack again after this if needed.

The kit says this is a 6 week wine but I'm thinking more like 6 months before it gets bottled.

What is the group's consensus? Yay? Nay? Yay with some tweeking?


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[jensmith]

Sounds like a good plan to me.

You know the phrase, " do as I say, not as I do." ? I usuualy wait to rack that first time at or below .999.... Unless it is a very slow ferment, over ten days. Then I airlock it anyway and take out the fruit. (I ferment in an open bucket. Not a carboy)

Enjoy!!


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[Twerp129]

It's certainly not unheard of to leave wines in the primary for an extended period. I know many people who press dry and plenty more who press with a couple brix left. And the secondary and tertiary rackings are, in most cases, largely unnecessary. 6 month's is way better than 6 weeks, just taste and keep it topped up.