This weekend, I'll most likely rack my chokecherry wine over for the last time before bottling. I'm a little unclear on this step, since I've never done it before, so I have a few questions, if y'all don't mind -
Does anyone have a general, step-by-step "checklist" for this final stage of the wine-making? Should I be cold-crashing and/or stabilizing it now? Or wait a few weeks after this racking before doing so?
The wine seems to have cleared up very nicely on its own, so I don't anticipate the need to add any finings or clearing agents. Should I add a campden tablet one more time before bottling?
I don't plan to back-sweeten, as this wine tastes simply beautiful on its own, even at this relatively young stage. There actually seems to be just a hint of vanilla in there, for reasons I cannot explain, and it is really nice. Has this happened with anyone else?
My dad's batch of wine, which he bottled rather early, in my opinion, tastes great when he opens it and pours a glass, but after about 30 minutes the flavor of the wine in the glass deteriorates quite a bit. Is this an oxidation problem? Would a campden tablet at bottling have prevented this, or is there another way to deal with it so that the same doesn't happen to mine?
Thanks for all feedback and advice -
Ron
There probably are checklists out there, but for me I generally cold stabilize for a month or so before bottling. It's not critical, but I do that before I rack to the bottling bucket so that more sediment doesn't drop out in the bottle in my cellar.
I use campden/sulfite at every other racking to help prevent oxidation, and add more at bottling.
It does sound like oxidation with your dad's wine. I'm not sure why it would happen in 30 minutes, though, unless it was already present and became worse with some sitting in the glass.