When and How to Rack Your Wine

Racking is simply transferring your wine from one vessel to another, leaving the sediment (lees) behind. It's one of the most important techniques in home winemaking, and getting it right makes a real difference to the clarity and quality of your finished wine.

Why Rack at All?

As fermentation progresses, dead yeast cells, fruit pulp, and other debris settle at the bottom of your demijohn. Leaving your wine sitting on this sediment for too long can cause off-flavours — a yeasty, bitter taste called autolysis. Racking cleans the wine and keeps it tasting fresh.

When to Rack

First Rack

Rack for the first time when:

• Primary fermentation is complete (SG around 1.010–1.020)
• Or approximately 5–7 days after pitching yeast
• There should be a visible layer of sediment at the bottom

Subsequent Racks

Rack again whenever:

• A fresh layer of sediment forms (usually every 4–6 weeks)
• The wine is 1–2 inches above the sediment
• You're adding fining agents or stabilisers

Final Rack

Rack into your bottling vessel when the wine is completely clear and stable.

How to Rack

You'll need:

• A clean, sterilised demijohn
• An auto-siphon or siphon tubing
• Half a Campden tablet dissolved in a little water

• 1.Place the full demijohn on a table or worktop
• 2.Place the empty demijohn on the floor below it
• 3.Insert the siphon into the full demijohn, keeping the tip above the sediment layer
• 4.Start the siphon and let the wine flow into the clean demijohn
• 5.As the level drops, lower the siphon tip carefully — stop before you suck up sediment
• 6.Add the dissolved half Campden tablet to the racked wine
• 7.Fit the airlock and bung
• 8.Label with the date

Topping Up

After racking, your demijohn may not be completely full. This headspace can cause oxidation. Top up with a similar wine, or with cooled boiled water mixed with a small amount of sugar (to maintain the SG). Alternatively, use glass marbles (sterilised) to displace the air.

Common Mistakes

Sucking up sediment — if you see the sediment cloud, stop immediately. A little won't ruin the wine but minimise it.

Not sterilising equipment — every piece of kit that touches your wine must be sterilised.

Splashing — try to run the siphon tube to the bottom of the receiving vessel to minimise splashing and oxidation.

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