Wine racking thoughts

[Harry Bloomfield]

I have just finished another 5 gallons of white wine and I'm in the middle of racking/bottling. When I get down the the bottom gallon or so, getting the final few bottles out, becomes a bit of a problem to not disturb the sediment at the base of the 5 gallon container. I'm doing it slightly different this time - racking to bottles until the last gallon, then transferring that final gallon into a 1 gallon demi-john. My idea is that the greater liquid column height, will make the sediment fall out of the wine faster/easier and make it easier to determine where the wine ends/ sediment begins.

I wonder if an even smaller base / much taller final container might make it even easier to separate the wine from the sediment? Anyone tried it?

 

[Tanglefoot]

You could just put an airlock on the gallon demi-john and let it sit for a couple of days ( or however long it takes to settle) before siphoning off.

When I made wine a few years ago mind, I'd rack it off enough times until there was no sediment at all before I bottled it, topping up with grape juice ( 100% ) towards the end to make up shortfall and providing a little fructose for the yeast.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

That is what I have done - the airlock and just wait for it to settle out.

My last batch had some sediment in the final bottle I racked into and it continued fermenting in the bottle. I am trying to avoid that this time.