Lee wrote:

> This question concerns how often to rack. I'm
> referring to making grape wine from fresh red
> grapes, in carboys.
>
> My routine is to do the primary fermentation in
> an open tub. I'll often innoculate with ML just
> prior to the completion of the primary. Once the
> primary is completed, I'll press, let the wine
> settle, and
> then rack after a day or so. But once the ML is
> completed, which usually takes about a month,
> I'll be left with a filled carboy with
> about 1/2 to 1 inch of debri on the bottom. Do
> you all rack at that
> point? Or do you let the wine age on its lees?
> I usually cold stabilize in my garage over the
> winter (in Maryland, we can count on 3
> weeks or so of consistently cold weather). Then
> I usually rack at the end of winter.
>
> Does this sound about right? I'm wondering what
> the effect of letting the wine sit on 1 inch of
> dead yeast cells for 3-4 months does.
>
> Also, I'm not sure if the debri in the bottom of
> the carboy can
> accurately be called "lees". It's really not
> old grape skins or stems...it's just dead yeast.
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> Lee

Lee, your procedure is the same as mine. I also
live in Maryland (Brunswick), how about you?

Paul