The last few years I have been trying to extend my maceration and waiting
until the cap truly falls. I have been letting it go for 20+ days. I have
been getting glorious color extraction and have been happy with the wines
when young (18 mo's) but they have not been keeping well beyond 2-3 years.
I wonder if this is because I left them too long.

I have not been using inert gas but I have been laying a layer of sarane
wrap over the surface to keep air contact to a minimum when the cap starts
dropping. Like I say, no sign of oxidation when it becomes drinkable but it
has not been keeping well.

Just a comment. Any opinions would be welcome.

Ray

"Dan Emerson" > wrote in message
om...
> I have just a few red wines under my belt (in more ways than one) and
> I have a question on pressing. I have heard that it is best to press
> when 'the cap falls'. What does this look like? I just pressed a
> cabernet where the cap was lethargic and did not rise very much during
> the day. But it was still up. Is is supposed to actually fall into
> the wine so you have no cap? At what point is there danger? When my
> last cabernet was 'lethargic', I was really nervous. I don't think I
> could have waited any longer. What does it look like and how do I
> protect the wine when it is necessary.
>
> Just a beginner wanting to make magnificant wine, I know I can now,
> but haven't yet.
>
> Dan