reducing volume of demijohn??

[travelkermit]

Hi all
I am ready for racking my wine and am worried about leaving space in my demijohn.
Would it be of any detriment to the wine to use cleaned/sanitised stones to reduce the volume of the Demijohn? Obviously being careful not to damage the demijohn putting them in etc.
Thanks.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

If you mean there will be more head space when you rack just top up with cool boiled water, TBH i don't boil mine and i have never had any problems.

 

[Jonny69]

Don't worry about it too much. If you can, leave a bit of the residual fizz in the wine when you rack it, then, once it's in, airlock it and give it a good swirl around to shake the gas out. The CO2 will then sit on top of the wine and provide a blanket against oxidisation.

Even if you don't, I've just finished a demi of last year's cider which had sat half-full in the loft for 6-8 months over this summer and it was fine.

 

[travelkermit]

Thanks for.your replies.
They have both been helpful :-)
Rob

 

[Gorty]

I agree with Chippy, when you add water to a 30 bottle wine FV you use tap water and don't boil it all and let it cool so why when topping up, but if you are concerned about diluting the alcoholic content, the amount you lose is really not that much, then use some sugar dissolved in water at the same SG as your original mix to top up, but it does mean that your wine will continue to ferment.
If you add stabiliser and a Campden tablet and finings to your racked wine, then you top up with water. When your wine has cleared then you can rack off again and sweeten as required.