# Pinot Grigio Color



## StevenD55 (Nov 20, 2015)

Hello,

First time poster, but I've been making wine for awhile now. However, this is my first attempt at making white wine. 

My neighbor said I could pick some grapes he still had on the vines. The grapes are a Pinot Grigio that have frozen down to 19°F a few times. I picked quite a bit, crushed and pressed about 20 gallons worth. The concern I have is that the must seems to be a little off-color from what I've seen from his grapes. Granted, when he crushes the grapes, generally it's before freezing. 

I read in an earlier thread where someone had an issue like this and it was stated to refrain from adding sulfite. Unfortunately, I already added sulfite before adding the yeast. So, to my question...Do aficionados out there think this must will clear up ok? And, if it will not, what options do I have to improve appearance? 

Thanks. 

Steve in Colorado


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## cmason1957 (Nov 20, 2015)

I think it should clear just fine. White wines always look like that (or worse) when you start.


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## StevenD55 (Nov 20, 2015)

Cool. Thanks. It's soaking pretty well right now that I added some heating mats around the fermenter to get it up to about 70°F. 

Steve in Colorado


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## cmason1957 (Nov 20, 2015)

I generally ferment my whites a bit cooler than that. Like around 60 or whatever the temp is in my basement. I know many commercial winery go even cooler than that.


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## StevenD55 (Nov 20, 2015)

Good to know. I will see if I can chill it further. 

Thanks again.


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## StevenD55 (Nov 20, 2015)

Holy smokes. Heat was shut off and the temperature in the fermenter was still riding to over 80. Trying to chill it now. 

Another question though. I am using a yeast that lists its low temp at 59. It's Montrachet. Will that be a problem at temps well below 60?


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## barbiek (Nov 20, 2015)

Can't answer your question about yeast for I have never used that yeast In the future though it's good to know your yeast limits befor pitching but with that said I wouldn't go below 60 so your yeast don't stall what is your current gravity? If it's down to 1.000 I wouldn't worry about leaving it go down to 58 or 59 since it will hold the heat it's already acquired and relax about the color I have a Pinot Grigio from a juice bucket started this past spring it started with the same color as yours and it hasn't even been 7 mos since I started it and it's sitting crystal clear!


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## StevenD55 (Nov 20, 2015)

Thanks. 

Montrachet is supposed to be good for white wines per the literature FWIW. But definitely a good point in knowing the yeast. This was a spur of the moment project and that was the yeast I had on hand. Perhaps next time I will be better prepared. 


As to the SG, it's just started fermenting. This is only day 2. So I haven't checked that since the reading shown in the photo above. I'm trying to slow it down a little now though. 

Good to know the color is ok though.

Thanks again. 

Steve


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## barbiek (Nov 21, 2015)

Ok your welcome then lower the temp gradually down to about 60 since its early in the game no harm, no fowl just lower it gradually again you still risk a stuck ferment if too fast. I too go with what's on hand if possible I always have Ba11 on hand for whites I think it's good to 50 degrees if I remember correctly RHST is a good one for lower temps also go to morebeer.com. They have all the explanations of the yeast strains and while your there you might want to get a yeast nutrient pack for white wines then you don't need to worry bout a stuck ferment ever! there's one for red wine also but only if your gonna be using it with in 6 mos good luck


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## ceeaton (Nov 21, 2015)

StevenD55 said:


> Good to know the color is ok though.



Got a Pinot Grigio juice bucket in May. Same color as yours though you have more solids in suspension (mine were at the bottom of the bucket). We are already enjoying it and it's a light clear straw color. 

Attached is the best image I could get in a pinch. The bottle has an ever so slight blue tinge to it (Cavit bottle), but even with that it is pretty light in color.

Good luck!


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## StevenD55 (Nov 21, 2015)

Very nice!


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## StevenD55 (Nov 21, 2015)

barbiek said:


> Ok your welcome then lower the temp gradually down to about 60 since its early in the game no harm, no fowl just lower it gradually again you still risk a stuck ferment if too fast. I too go with what's on hand if possible I always have Ba11 on hand for whites I think it's good to 50 degrees if I remember correctly RHST is a good one for lower temps also go to morebeer.com. They have all the explanations of the yeast strains and while your there you might want to get a yeast nutrient pack for white wines then you don't need to worry bout a stuck ferment ever! there's one for red wine also but only if your gonna be using it with in 6 mos good luck



Again thanks.


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## StevenD55 (Nov 27, 2015)

OK....moving along with the Pinot Grigio. I was able to chill the must to between 60 and 65 degrees. I took a hydrometer reading today and it was standing at 1.02 already. So, I transferred the wine to 2 secondary fermenters. The product is really cloudy. So, my question is this. Should I begin clarifying at this stage? If so, should I use bentonite, try something different or wait and rack it again before I add anything to clarify the wine?


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## barbiek (Nov 27, 2015)

No wait till its done you can't clear gassy wine it will clear on its own if it sits long enough also I usually wait till its down to at least 1010 before Transfering it


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## StevenD55 (Nov 28, 2015)

Ok. Next time 1.01. 

Thank You Barbiek.


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## jpsmithny (Nov 30, 2015)

I've used the Montrachet before and my experience is that you need to be sure and give it some nutrients and lots of oxygen during the ferment or you risk the production of H2S (hydrogen sulfide). 
That's a rotten egg smell. 
If you've made it all the way to almost dry without you probably are ok. If it were mine,I would splash rack it only because of my past experience.

In any case,other than that it will clear on its' own and it will be delicious.

The Montrachet brings some nice fruit flavor forward.


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## StevenD55 (Nov 30, 2015)

jpsmithny said:


> I've used the Montrachet before and my experience is that you need to be sure and give it some nutrients and lots of oxygen during the ferment or you risk the production of H2S (hydrogen sulfide).
> That's a rotten egg smell.
> If you've made it all the way to almost dry without you probably are ok. If it were mine,I would splash rack it only because of my past experience.
> 
> ...



So far so good. Good to know. I'll be sure to check for that. I did add yeast nutrient at the start. So here's to hoping....


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## StevenD55 (Jan 8, 2017)

Probably long since forgotten by now. But this is how the Pinot Grigio turned out. The wine cleared just fine. 

The Pinot Grigio grapes were harvested very late, in November and pink skinned. My neighbor didn't harvest them because the sugar level wasn't where he wanted it. From what I read, harvesting these late can lead to a tinge in the color. Since I had less than a batch of a red grape harvested at the same time and higher in sugar, I added those to the batch and it sort of made the wine look like a "blush." Turned out ok I think.


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