wrote:

> Wildbill,
>
> I've never experienced oxidation from racking. As long as there is
> free SO2 the wine will not oxidize. I add 50ppm each rack and the wine
> is very drinkable. In fact, it's better than any commercial stuff made
> from the same quality grapes I use. If Micheal added 30ppm each rack
> it would take 10 racks to get to 300ppm. That's assuming no oxygen is
> introduced during racking. IOW, it won't even be close to 300ppm and
> probably more close to 30ppm at the end.
>
> On Feb 11, 10:44Â*am, Wildbilly > wrote:
>> In article
>> >,
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> michael > wrote:
>> > On 9 Feb, 11:52, "Paul E. Lehmann" > wrote:
>> > > michael wrote:
>> > > > On 9 Feb, 02:17, "Paul E. Lehmann" >
>> > > > wrote:
>> > > >> Wildbilly wrote:
>> > > >> > In article
>> > > >> >
>,
>> > > >> > michael > wrote:
>>
>> > > >> >> I have been drinking a 2006 Regent( a European hybrid developed
>> > > >> >> for early ripening in cool climates ) red wine recently and
>> > > >> >> have been amazed at the difference temperature makes.My mini
>> > > >> >> vineyard is in Herefordshire,in southern England,and whereas I
>> > > >> >> have been making some excellent dry white wines(as judged by
>> > > >> >> others),I am new to red wine making.
>>
>> > > >> >> The year 2006 was very good in England,with all grapes ripening
>> > > >> >> very well,and earlier than usual.I fermented the grapes on the
>> > > >> >> skins and with the grapes natural yeast,and achieved full
>> > > >> >> fermentation after 2 to 3 weeks-the grapes were pressed after 6
>> > > >> >> days maceration.The wine was matured in gallon glass demijohns
>> > > >> >> for three years,and bottled recently.I tried the wine in my
>> > > >> >> cool pantry (it has been pretty cold in England this
>> > > >> >> winter),and was a little disappointed.It had a very nice fruity
>> > > >> >> nose but seemed a little tannic.We compared it with a
>> > > >> >> commercial Australian Cabernet ,and was not convinced that mine
>> > > >> >> was that much inferior.We decided to serve it to our friends at
>> > > >> >> a dinner party,as English red wine made from English grapes is
>> > > >> >> quite unusual.
>>
>> > > >> >> The surprise came when I warmed up the wine to about 65For room
>> > > >> >> temperature.The wine had lost its tannic nature and was very
>> > > >> >> good,with absolutely no comparison to drinking the wine at
>> > > >> >> 50F.I am well aware that red wine should be drunk at room
>> > > >> >> temperature,but had no idea that its character should change so
>> > > >> >> much;it makes it difficult to assess wine being stored in a
>> > > >> >> cooler place. I would welcome comments
>> > > >> >> Michael
>>
>> > > >> > Good reds and whites: 14C - 16C
>> > > >> > Young fruity reds, rosés, and dry whites: 11C - 12C
>> > > >> > Sparkling: 7C - 8C
>> > > >> > Dessert Wines: 6C
>>
>> > > >> > Chilling a wine, reduces your ability to taste it. Too warm and
>> > > >> > it will seem flat. Then again, wines are like steaks. No one can
>> > > >> > tell you the right way to serve it (well done, rare), or what is
>> > > >> > the best temp to serve wines, for you. Learn the rules, and then
>> > > >> > you can break them ;O)
>>
>> > > >> I like your quote at the bottom
>>
>> > > >> Paul- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> > > >> - Show quoted text -
>>
>> > > > Thanks for the comments.
>> > > > I think that my problem with this red wine is that I have got an
>> > > > excess of tannin.I thought that it would become more mellow after
>> > > > three years in a glass demijohn,but although it has coated the
>> > > > glass with a thin red deposit,there has been no deposit in the
>> > > > bottom of the demijohn.The grapes were very ripe when picked (Brix
>> > > > 18.5 which about the best we get in our cool climate),but possibly
>> > > > a little low on acid.The wine has a good fruity nose,its colour is
>> > > > deep red and clear,but that is about the best one can say-the taste
>> > > > gets better on the second or third glass,but presumably all wines
>> > > > do due to the alcohol kicking in.It is somewhat better than a
>> > > > supermarket wine at 8 dollars a bottle,my friends at a recent
>> > > > dinner party liked it and my daughter gives it 9/10.However,I feel
>> > > > that I need more understanding of what I perceive to be wrong,in
>> > > > order to improve it. Michael
>>
>> > > Try this:
>>
>> > > Next time you open a bottle, pour out a glass and drink it and save
>> > > the rest in the opened bottle until the next day. Â*Test to see how
>> > > the remaining wine in the bottle taste the next day - or two days.
>> > > If it is a lot better taste to you, then your wine will improve with
>> > > age - it just needs more time.
>>
>> > > Have you checked out the site:
>>
>> > >http://www.winepress.us/
>>
>> > > There are a LOT of us there and it is very active with a lot of good
>> > > topics and opinions. Â*I am known as PEL on the site. Â*You can also
>> > > post pictures which sometimes help a lot in the conversations. Â*They
>> > > have been having problems with their server but it has been fairly
>> > > stable recently.
>>
>> > > Paul- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> > > - Show quoted text -
>>
>> > Yes,it does get a little better when left in an opened bottle for a
>> > day or so.The wine is already 3 years old,but perhaps it is not
>> > maturing very fast in glass.What surprises me is that I do not get a
>> > tannin deposit on the bottom of the glass demijohn.That is why I have
>> > not deemed it necessary to rack it-all I see is a deposit on the
>> > inside of the glass.Perhaps red wine does need more air (which it
>> > would get if maturing in oak),so perhaps I will rack some more to
>> > introduce some oxygen to help with maturation.I assume that I add a
>> > small amount of sulphite(30ppm) on each racking,though I thought that
>> > red wine (unlike white wine)does not need it due to its tannin .
>> > Thanks again
>> > Michael
>>
>> All wines need SO2, unless you're making vinegar (little is needed below
>> pH3). 30ppm is about the max. free SO2 that you want. If you add 30ppm
>> to each racking, the wine will be undrinkable. Polymerization of tannins
>> is a slow oxidation. Exposure to the air is will lead to rapid oxidation
>> ---> acetic acid ---> acetaldehyde ---> big waste of time, effort, money.
>> --
>> "Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
>> merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
>>
>>
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100119/...1/19/headlines

Here is some information I have found:

The California Wine Institute proposes an upper limit of 175 ppm for reds
and 225 ppm for whites

The FDA allows up to 350 ppm

I believe they are referring to Total SO2

From what I have read, depending on pH of course, up to about 60 - 70 ppm,
about half will be bound. Beyond that the bound becomes less - maybe about
a third or less will become bound.