15. Finishing and Packaging

Question 1

What must winemakers do 4 months to 8 weeks ahead of bottling day?

Answer 1

• Assemble final blend

- Full chemical analysis – alcohol, residual sugar, free SO2, etc.

Question 2

What must winemakers do 8 weeks ahead of bottling day?

Answer 2

• Final adjustments: alcohol, acidity, tannins if desired

Question 3

What must winemakers do 6 weeks ahead of bottling day?

Answer 3

• Protein stability trial and if necessary fine with bentonite

Question 4

What must winemakers do 4-6 weeks ahead of bottling day?

Answer 4

• Test for tartrate stability and, if necessary, treat

Question 5

What must winemakers do 4 weeks ahead of bottling day?

Answer 5

• Check protein stability and tartrate stability again, treat as necessary

Question 6

What must winemakers do 1-2 weeks ahead of bottling day?

Answer 6

• Add sweetening agents e.g. grape concentrate, if using (for mouth feel and finish)

Question 7

What must winemakers do 72–48 hours ahead of bottling day?

Answer 7

• Test filterability of wine

Question 8

What must winemakers do 24 hours ahead of bottling day?

Answer 8

• Adjust free SO2

Question 9

What must winemakers do on bottling day?

Answer 9

• Adjust dissolved oxygen and CO2

Question 10

What must winemakers do during bottling day?

Answer 10

• Check dissolved oxygen (to ensure no pickup) and SO2 levels regularly and keep sample of bottle wines for quality assurance purposes