Lees

It's a new word for me.  Until today, I had no idea what stirring the lees meant, but this afternoon it happened at my very own house!  Lees is the dead yeast and sediment that settles at the bottom of the carboys, which hold the wine at this point.  During this second fermentation, stirring the lees up from the bottom promotes further activity (malolactic fermentation). This is a good thing.  Lucky for us, the carbon dioxide made for a little spillage, which we caught in a big pasta bowl placed underneath the carboys.  We poured most of it back in, but had to try a tiny taste.  It has changed a lot, and we were both very pleased that the wine is softening during this fermentation.  Our granddaughter Rian noted that the glass "smelled like a raspberry".  I guess the future of our wine making adventure is intact if our grandchildren are learning right along with us!!

The fermentation lock comes off
and the dowel goes in.

Two of our grandchildren observe
as the stirring begins to produce results.

This is the overflow that we caught for later sampling.