Racking wine is a way of filtering it. It is a simple process that involves transferring the wine from one vessel to another. The reason behind this winemaking step is to eliminate the sediment (called lees) that builds up in the bottom of the container.
The short answer to when and how often to rack is: only when you need to. The consequences for racking too much are as great as racking too little. If you don’t do it enough, or if you wait too long, the yeast begins to create hydrogen sulfide as a result of not getting enough food. This creates a rotten egg smell that is decidedly unappealing. On the flip side, racking too many times increases oxygen exposure and can lead to the creation of vinegar, ethyl acetate or aldehydes. In either case, your batch of wine is likely destined for the drain.
Your first round of racking should take place shortly after you press the wine. If you are working on a red, pressing occurs after primary fermentation. Wait for another one or two days after that to rack. This allows the particles to settle out. Your goal here is to eliminate the thick layer of sediment. If you rack too soon, you won’t remove enough of it at this first stage and risk ruining your batch.
With white wines, pressing occurs before fermentation. You still want to rack after pressing. The sedimentation you’re eliminating consists mostly of pulp since the wine has yet to ferment. Don’t worry if you can’t get rid of all of it; just get as much as you can. The leftover fruit bits actually help with fermentation.
You need to keep an eye on your vessel to know exactly when to rack the second time. You do not want your lees to get more than about ½ inch thick. Wait on the second racking for a red wine until after the malolactic fermentation is complete. If you find that your lees get too thick before then, give them a little bit of a swirl a couple of times a week until the end of the fermentation process, and then rack it. On the other hand, if there isn’t much in the way of lees after fermenting, then don’t rack.
The second round of racking for white wine should occur one to two days after the initial fermentation since your first round took place beforehand. As with the first go at racking a red, you need to allow time for the particles to settle before you rack.
This will almost always be your final round. It is done just before bottling. When you finish this round, you should not see any haze or detect any off-smelling odors.
Racking doesn’t require any major equipment. All you really need is a racking cane and tubing, along with your extra container. You can purchase a racking cane/tubing combo, which eliminates the need to hunt down the right kind of tubing.
MoreBeer! offers more than just beer supplies! We’re into wines, too. You can find everything you need, including your racking cane, in our winemaking collection. If you need help or have any questions, give us a call at (800)600-0033.
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