Backsweetening timing question

[smoothlager]

I intend to backsweeten a couple of wines after adding potassium sorbate.

my question is do i do this straight after first rack or do I wait a bit or do i do it after final rack before bottling?
Any help appreciated

 

[Moley]

With things like juice wines I tend to rack, stabilise and add finings all at the same time. That's then left for a week or two and then I will either re-rack or filter. I top up and sweeten (if required) at that second stage, then my wines are usually left for a few months before bottling. This means I can check hydrometer readings match and that there has been no further activity when I come to bottle.

If you sweeten at the time of bottling you haven't got that double-check on stabilisation.

 

[RobWalker]

K-sorbate doesn't kill yeast, it just stops it reproducing. If you add the sugar at the same time, it's likely to take off again...

 

[denwil]

I add the PS then degas for a week or so,clear and then do a taste test and sweeten as required before putting into storage/bottling

 

[Moley]

K-sorbate doesn't kill yeast, it just stops it reproducing.

Quite so, K-sorb needs to be used in conjunction with CTs or some other form of K or Na Metabisulphite, because on its own it won't stop any working yeasties, and your wine could end up smelling and tasting of geraniums.

 

[shearclass]

With things like juice wines I tend to rack, stabilise and add finings all at the same time. That's then left for a week or two and then I will either re-rack or filter. I top up and sweeten (if required) at that second stage, then my wines are usually left for a few months before bottling.

Sorry Moley, do you back sweeten before or after filtering? Or does it not matter?

I like dry wines, but i have a strawberry wine that i stabilised last night, and I think this would be suited to being a little sweeter than my normal taste.

 

[Moley]

After 2nd racking or filtering when there's going to be a bit of topping up required, if you add liquid before racking it's just going to stir up the sediment again.

 

[shearclass]

if you add liquid before racking it's just going to stir up the sediment again.

Of course, thank you.