Stabilizing Wine Before Bottling

Wine is stabilized to stop fermentation so that remaining yeast do not ferment added or residual sugar after bottling and cause the bottles to explode.

When it comes time to stabilize and fine the wine, it has to be stirred vigorously enough to drive off all of the CO2 that has accumulated during fermentation.This is because the dissolved gas will attach to the fining agents, preventing them from settling out. You need to stir hard enough to make the wine foam, and keep stirring until it will no longer foam. Only then will the gas be driven off so the fining agents can work their magi

After stabilizing, suspended yeast die off and lay down a thin layer of lees. If the wine has been bottled, the lees are trapped and are not only unsightly, but can impart off flavors.

Our experience is that the dead yeast cells will precipitate out in 3-7 days. Allowing 10 days offers a 3-day margin of error, ensuring that all the dead yeast precipitates out.

The wine is then racked off the lees, sweetened to taste and bottled.