Degassing my Pinot Noir kit

[jstampler]

I'm still new to winemaking and have been reading everything on here that I possibly can to learn as much as possible. I'm getting the hang of it but I ran into a problem with this wine kit. It's a Vintners Reserve Pinot Noir. I started at 1.096 and I'm down to .994 which is below the recommended .996 to start step 3 which is clearing and degassing the wine. I added the Metasulphite and Sorbate desolved in a cup of the wine and stirred like crazy. I then added the Chitosan as directed and kept stirring. I stirred, whipped and swirled the wine for a good 30 minutes and it is still as bubbly as ever. I kept the bung on and put my finger over and hole and swirled the better bottle and let go and a puff came out as much as when I started. I'm not sure where to go from here. The kit said to top to 2 inches from the top when it's degassed. It isnt degassed now obviously and I'm afraid of oxidation from messing with it so much and not fully topping up.

Where should I go from here? I read a few other threads that said it took days, even weeks to degass. Why does it make it seem like it can be done in 2 minutes? Should I top up to within 2 inches of the bung as directed or should I leave some space so I can continue stirring for a while?

 

[ArcaneXor]

With a degassing wand mounted to a drill, it's usually a matter of a few minutes, and it also reduces oxidation because they stir underneath the surface instead of splashing the wine around.

In your case, the fermentation may not have been complete yet despite the low gravity, meaning that CO2 is still being produced by the yeast. The K-sorb and K-meta don't instantly kill the yeast, they just inhibit it and prevent further reproduction.

 

[jstampler]

With a degassing wand mounted to a drill, it's usually a matter of a few minutes, and it also reduces oxidation because they stir underneath the surface instead of splashing the wine around.

In your case, the fermentation may not have been complete yet despite the low gravity, meaning that CO2 is still being produced by the yeast. The K-sorb and K-meta don't instantly kill the yeast, they just inhibit it and prevent further reproduction.

Will the Meta and Sobate eventually kill the yeast, just not right away? What will I need to do, just wait a day or two and then try again?

 

[ArcaneXor]

That's what I would suggest.

 

[jstampler]

I'll wait it out and see what happens in a few days. The only other problem is that I already added the chitosan which I believe is what clears the wine. Will the wine now clear if it's not degassed properly before adding the chitosan?

 

[DoctorCAD]

If you let the wine sit for 6 months in the carboy, there will be very little gas to worry about when you bottle.

Rushed kits (and the 28 days required is hugely rushed) seem to always be gassy.

 

[jstampler]

Well, now that I put all the remaining packets (meta, sorbate, and chitosan) into the carboy, can I still let it age without a problem? Will I have to add something prior to bottling in a few months to clear it again since it probably won't clear now if I let the co2 age out of it?

 

[Yooper]

Well, now that I put all the remaining packets (meta, sorbate, and chitosan) into the carboy, can I still let it age without a problem? Will I have to add something prior to bottling in a few months to clear it again since it probably won't clear now if I let the co2 age out of it?

It'll be fine. Normally, they have you degas before adding the chitosan, and then stir again so I'm not sure why they didn't have you degas before the chitosan.

In any case, it'll be ok. You can keep trying to degas when you have time, before topping up. I've had a few kits that just didn't want to let go of the gas, and took several efforts over a couple of days. It helps if you have the wine pretty warm, as it'll release the gas better. As high as 80 degrees is fine.

When you go to bottle, you can add some more k-meta (campden) if you want to have the wine last longer.

 

[noblebrewer]

I am working the same kit, i think, and its my first attempt with wine as well. I had some questions about aging and general timeline that the kit directions seemed a little fuzzy on. My wine sat in the primary for 10 days because I was waiting on a larger carboy for the secondary fermentation. I racked to the secondary last night and the gravity reading I took showed 0.992 from an OG of 1.090 so it look like it is already below the target final gravity for the kit. Do I need to wait before degassing and adding the metasulphite and sorbate? Te kit says wait an additional 10 days after racking but it seems like this is for fermentation to finish and I think my wine is done. I'm worried that if it does drop any further its going to be and little too high ABV and hot-tasting. Any advice?

 

[Yooper]

I am working the same kit, i think, and its my first attempt with wine as well. I had some questions about aging and general timeline that the kit directions seemed a little fuzzy on. My wine sat in the primary for 10 days because I was waiting on a larger carboy for the secondary fermentation. I racked to the secondary last night and the gravity reading I took showed 0.992 from an OG of 1.090 so it look like it is already below the target final gravity for the kit. Do I need to wait before degassing and adding the metasulphite and sorbate? Te kit says wait an additional 10 days after racking but it seems like this is for fermentation to finish and I think my wine is done. I'm worried that if it does drop any further its going to be and little too high ABV and hot-tasting. Any advice?

It's done, but it may not be ready to clear yet. It won't go any lower than .990, no matter what, so don't worry about that. Wait until the time that the directions say, as it will help make degassing much easier!

 

[noblebrewer]

It's done, but it may not be ready to clear yet. It won't go any lower than .990, no matter what, so don't worry about that. Wait until the time that the directions say, as it will help make degassing much easier!

Thanks for the insight!

 

[Honda88]

I find it odd that they have you add sorbate. Does this kit have you back sweeten?

 

[jstampler]

I find it odd that they have you add sorbate. Does this kit have you back sweeten?

Nope. I dont have the instructions in front of me but I believe it's basically just the juice and water along with the yeast in primary for 7 days. Then you rack to the carboy and let it sit another 10 days for fermentation to complete. After that you add the k-meta and sulfate and degass followed by the chitosan. Then you top up with water (I used a bottle of wine) and let it sit another 14 days before bottling.

Because I had so much trouble degassing, I'm just going to let it sit another month minimum and then test it out to see if I can bottle.

 

[Honda88]

you would have been fine topping up with water, most kits figure in the water addition. The wine you added will slightly change the way the kit was intended to taste if you are okay with that..