Question about bottling wine kit.

[Scrabblegod]

I made a wine expert merlot. It was ready to bottle early September, but do to life issues, did not get done. Now three and a half months later, I am ready to bottle. Should I add any additional chemicals, or just bottle as Is? I do
Not have a sulfate test kit.
Thanks,
Gene

 

[Yooper]

You should add some sulfite per the package directions if you plan on aging the wine.

 

[DoctorCAD]

Heck, at 3 1/2 months, you have about 3 more before its really ready to bottle. Congratulations on your first bulk aging. Your wine will be much better for waiting.

Yes, you should add sulfites before bottling, I use about 4 campden tablets for 6 gallons of wine. I also never open a bottle until a solid year has passed from start to finish.

 

[nobadays]

uh-oh.... I usually let my wine bulk age for a year before bottling. I have not added additional sulfites after the directed additions way back when it was racked into the third carboy for bulk aging.

This is not advice for the OP !!

Two years (2.5+ for some of my wines) and they are beginning to shine. Am I looking at trouble - oxidization down the road because I didn't add more sulfite before bottling after bulk aging?

Cheers! Don

 

[DoctorCAD]

Sulfites are insurance.

 

[elreplica]

I made a wine expert merlot. It was ready to bottle early September, but do to life issues, did not get done. Now three and a half months later, I am ready to bottle. Should I add any additional chemicals, or just bottle as Is? I do
Not have a sulfate test kit.
Thanks,
Gene

That's funny...mine sits on primary for 30 days, cold crashes in carboy for a week approximately and hits the stomach shortly thereafter...aging is good and we never use sulphites...a 3 litre bottle of Geverstraminer sat for over a year and was very nice! Funnier too that I've done it with a few beers as well...not as good results but a couple nice lagers lol.

 

[ChelisHubby]

Dr Cad are campden tans a sulfite? I have a Merlot that I want to try for 6 months in the carboy.

 

[DoctorCAD]

Yes, campden tablets are sulfites.