I spent some time in my winemaking room this evening, and realized I had totally lost track of an “Old Vines Zinfandel” I started some time ago. I know I started it at least 6 weeks ago, and racked it – but that’s all I recall. It was one of those “I’ll start a log on this tomorrow” wines, but never did start one.

So I do not recall when I’ve done what to it – but I did rack it tonight off of some sediment in the bottom, and the wine was fairly clear – so I’m thinking I probably did stabilize and clarify it. But it reminds me that I really must keep track of what I’ve done!

I’ll give it another week, rack again, see how it looks and a quarter teaspoon of sulphite to it and likely bottle it in two weeks. I know I started it back in October, toward the beginning of the month. And I probably made notes, but I can’t find them right now.

Other notes: The Riesling is looking very clear – at least the one in the 19 litre carboy that I added liquid isinglass to – the 23 litre carboy, I added liquid isinglass a couple of weeks later, and it’s not quite so clear, but coming along nicely. If I put a large print book behind the 19 litre, I could probably read it through the wine.

The Liebfraumilch that I started five weeks ago is not as clear as I would like, and I racked it this evening off of some thick lees. After racking, I put the vacuum pump to it (which reminds me I have to return that pump or Bob is going to think I’m stealing it), and pulled out a lot of CO2. I’ll give it another week or so before bottling – if it clears up.

The gooseberry wine’s specific gravity is 1.040 – yeast activity is still strong – and it’s fun to watch the mini-explosions that are going on in that carboy. Stuff drops to the bottom, and then seconds later, stuff shoots upward towards the top while the airlock bounces up and down. Amazing the things that will humour a child, huh?

I did rack the gooseberry into another four gallon carboy though. I decided to strain the juice through a hops boiling bag into a pail, and from that, into the smaller carboy. There’s some headspace, but because it is still so active, I’m not worrying about that right now. The colour of the gooseberry has changed from the original lime green to a much lighter greenish/brownish pigment – it will be interesting to see the final colour of this.

Time for me to clean up, finish my glass of red Zinfandel, and get some sleep.