Thanks for the input Mark . Im going to take your advice and start the
mlf .Its hard to find out here on Long Island (correction:
impossible)so i had to send away for it. My opinion is that a few more
days shouldnt matter since the numbers i have at the 1st racking(from
primary into carboy) are as follows:
PA 3%
SG 1.021
brix 7
...according to my reading (and confusion) I should have a few
days of play till i get a steady SG reading of .995. This is when I've
read ML bacteria should be started. Care to add anything? Is there
still a good chance that there'll be wine for Easter??

This 2nd question is a little harder to explain. I opened up a
Merlot that was started in March of this year. It was a kit wine from
Brew King and all instructions were followed to the letter. Its been
sitting in a carboy , sealed up since April. It was opened today for
the first time.It tastes very good except for a slight aroma that I
cant seem to place. I have a feeling that it should be sealed up again
and forgotten about till xmas 2004. Would that be too long for a kit
wine? It should be also duly noted that this wine has also discovered
a new shade of blue. While rinsing out the siphons and wine thiefs
theres a reaction with the sanitizer and wine that turns
everything a shade of navy blue that looks like it'd would be great
for tatooing. Any idea what this is a sign
of?????...................jb