3 weeks ago I fined a 5 gallon batch of Chardonnay.

There is now a thick layer on the bottom and the wine is crystal clear.

I made this last fall, and it cold aged in the garage all winter.
It is warming up now, and I would like to bottle it.

Should I rack one more time, and age more?
Or just bottle the wine? ( I would rack this into my bottling bucket)
Do I need to adjust the SO after the fining?
Or just add a standard amount before bottling.

thanks

If you want to get some in bottles and you are careful and do not disturb
the leas you can bottle the clear wine off the top. What I do sometimes is
bottle the top part but leave a little less than a gal at the bottom. I
then rack the bottom to a gal carboy, not worrying so much about a little
coming over. Do this before you cork. Then I top the gal up with some of
the bottled wine. I then cork the bottles, put an airlock on the gal. and
set it aside for further clearing.

Or you can rack to another carboy and age the whole thing longer. That is
up to you. Just remember to top up. But you do not have to age the whole
thing the same amount of time. Bottle some now and bulk age the rest
longer.

Ray

"Pete" > wrote in message
om...
> 3 weeks ago I fined a 5 gallon batch of Chardonnay.
>
> There is now a thick layer on the bottom and the wine is crystal clear.
>
> I made this last fall, and it cold aged in the garage all winter.
> It is warming up now, and I would like to bottle it.
>
> Should I rack one more time, and age more?
> Or just bottle the wine? ( I would rack this into my bottling bucket)
> Do I need to adjust the SO after the fining?
> Or just add a standard amount before bottling.
>
> thanks

That may work out good..

I have 2 5 gallon batches of wine...

and many 64oz jugs.



"Ray" > wrote in message . com>...
> If you want to get some in bottles and you are careful and do not disturb
> the leas you can bottle the clear wine off the top. What I do sometimes is
> bottle the top part but leave a little less than a gal at the bottom. I
> then rack the bottom to a gal carboy, not worrying so much about a little
> coming over. Do this before you cork. Then I top the gal up with some of
> the bottled wine. I then cork the bottles, put an airlock on the gal. and
> set it aside for further clearing.
>
> Or you can rack to another carboy and age the whole thing longer. That is
> up to you. Just remember to top up. But you do not have to age the whole
> thing the same amount of time. Bottle some now and bulk age the rest
> longer.
>
> Ray
>
> "Pete" > wrote in message
> om...
> > 3 weeks ago I fined a 5 gallon batch of Chardonnay.
> >
> > There is now a thick layer on the bottom and the wine is crystal clear.
> >
> > I made this last fall, and it cold aged in the garage all winter.
> > It is warming up now, and I would like to bottle it.
> >
> > Should I rack one more time, and age more?
> > Or just bottle the wine? ( I would rack this into my bottling bucket)
> > Do I need to adjust the SO after the fining?
> > Or just add a standard amount before bottling.
> >
> > thanks

If I rack my other 5 gallons on top of the remaining wine and
bentonite, will the bentonite re-activate and clear the other wine?

I have added nothing to the other wine yet.


"Ray" > wrote in message . com>...
> If you want to get some in bottles and you are careful and do not disturb
> the leas you can bottle the clear wine off the top. What I do sometimes is
> bottle the top part but leave a little less than a gal at the bottom. I
> then rack the bottom to a gal carboy, not worrying so much about a little
> coming over. Do this before you cork. Then I top the gal up with some of
> the bottled wine. I then cork the bottles, put an airlock on the gal. and
> set it aside for further clearing.
>
> Or you can rack to another carboy and age the whole thing longer. That is
> up to you. Just remember to top up. But you do not have to age the whole
> thing the same amount of time. Bottle some now and bulk age the rest
> longer.
>
> Ray
>
> "Pete" > wrote in message
> om...
> > 3 weeks ago I fined a 5 gallon batch of Chardonnay.
> >
> > There is now a thick layer on the bottom and the wine is crystal clear.
> >
> > I made this last fall, and it cold aged in the garage all winter.
> > It is warming up now, and I would like to bottle it.
> >
> > Should I rack one more time, and age more?
> > Or just bottle the wine? ( I would rack this into my bottling bucket)
> > Do I need to adjust the SO after the fining?
> > Or just add a standard amount before bottling.
> >
> > thanks

Pete wrote:

> I made this last fall, and it cold aged in the garage all winter.
> It is warming up now, and I would like to bottle it.

I'd let this puppy age some more... rack as much of the clear wine as
possible, and settle the lees in a smaller jug and rack any remaining
wine off carefully... top up the 5 gallons with some other wine if need
be. Taste and see if you've something you're pleased with... better to
taste before rushing ahead and bottling something you may not be happy
with.

--
charles
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
"I certainly do not drink all the time. I have to sleep you know."
- W.C. Fields

"Pete" > wrote in message
om...
> If I rack my other 5 gallons on top of the remaining wine and
> bentonite, will the bentonite re-activate and clear the other wine?

No. You need to start from scratch.

Tom S