MONITORING THE BATCH
Fermentation temperatures can be a personal choice. Usually, red wines are kept at 80° F to start off, to foster colonization (or multiplication) of yeast cells before they begin the fermentation process. Once fermentation has begun, it is fairly common to bring that fermenting red into an environment between 70° F and 80° F. Whites should begin between 72° F and 75° F and then be brought down to 68° F to finish fermenting. Note: Don't go below 68° F or you'll risk a "stuck" fermentation.
I like to bring my wines (especially whites) into a cooler environment as soon as I see the signs of an active fermentation. This practice can impart to the wine subtleties of flavor that a warmer fermentation may not provide.
During the first 24 hours after inoculating a batch, yeast cells merely multiply until they reach a mass that can take on the job of fermentation. So it may be two to three days before you see any real action. If you keep your batch at the right temperature, the yeasts will start working fairly quickly and provide a rigorous fermentation. Above 90° F, yeast becomes too weak to work and the alcohols produced will have off-flavors.
While you can't really add too much yeast, you can add too little. This could contribute to a stuck ferment and could lead to bacterial spoilage. Any spoilage should give off unpleasant odors, so check for it. Use the recommended yeast and monitor the temperature of your fermentation room.
Once the must has reached 1.020 specific gravity, you are ready to rack the wine. This should take about 7 days, or if you opted for a slightly cooler fermenting temperature, 10 or more days.
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