Other Finer Wine Kits new process white wines

[Old Corker]

A few months ago I made the FWK Riesling with carbon and it cleared beautifully. Within a couple of days after adding the kieselsol and chitosan there was an obvious gradation as the carbon was precipitating out. Now I'm making a FWK Zinfandel Blush which also includes carbon. I racked and degassed and added the kieselsol on July 13 and the chitosan on the 14th. It's been ten days now and the entire six gallons is as black as it was the day I started the kit. Has anyone else had that experience, and does anyone have any suggestions beyond just waiting patiently until it does clear?

I thought the same thing when my Grenache Rosé was clearing. I could see sediment precipitating down the walls of the carboy but the wine still looked black. Take a strong flashlight and view it through the beam of light. It turned out the the color was just darker than I was expecting and as @winemaker81 says the volume of the carboy makes it look different. If you have the dark, carbon infused sediment accumulating at the bottom it probably is clearing.

 

[GretchenR]

I wouldn't have believed it. But you folks were absolutely right, Old Corker and Winemaker81. I was just deceived by the optics of the volume in the carboy. It seems to be clearing just fine, and it's such a pretty color!

 

[winemaker81]

@GretchenR, give the carboy a sharp twist, which will dislodge sediment clinging too the side of the container.

 

[Rocky]

I wouldn't have believed it. But you folks were absolutely right, Old Corker and Winemaker81. I was just deceived by the optics of the volume in the carboy. It seems to be clearing just fine, and it's such a pretty color!View attachment 90914View attachment 90915

Gretchen, what variety is that?

 

[Rocky]

My adventure with the Muscat continues. A few weeks back, it looked like this (after two doses of K & C). In the first photo, the FWK Muscat is on the right. Note the clarity. The other white wine in the picture on the left is a Brand X Muscat, started weeks after the FWK Muscat. Note its clarity.

A day or two ago, I noticed that the FWK Muscat had "clouded" for no apparent reason, so I racked it to another carboy. I also racked the other Muscat at the same time. I have no idea why the FWK clouded up. The Brand X did not.

 

[winemaker81]

A day or two ago, I noticed that the FWK Muscat had "clouded" for no apparent reason, so I racked it to another carboy. I also racked the other Muscat at the same time. I have no idea why the FWK clouded up. The Brand X did not.

What does the FWK smell and taste like?

 

[ratflinger]

An update on my FWK new process Sav Blanc kit. These are now about 3 months old and have been filtered. Both were made at the same time. On the left is a WE Aussy Sav Blanc - on the right is the FWK. I did not use the bentonite, nor the carbon. The FWK is a tad bit sweeter than the WE. The FWK coloring is not ideal, but I don't find difference to be distracting, but others may differ.

 

[She’sgonnakillme]

I wonder if using the carbon would have altered the final color?

 

[winemaker81]

I wonder if using the carbon would have altered the final color?

My FWK Sauvignon Blanc is much lighter and I used the bentonite/carbon + K&C. In my blog, scroll to the bottom to see a picture from a few months ago. Mine is bulk aging at this time.

https://wine.bkfazekas.com/2022-finer-wine-kits-sauvignon-blanc-in-detail/

 

[ratflinger]

Right, some seem to be struggling with the carbon/bentonite so I am just showing what it looks like without. Each winemaker can choose for themselves what they would like the final outcome to look like. These are also still in the bulk aging process and I did use the K&C

 

[winemaker81]

Right, some seem to be struggling with the carbon/bentonite so I am just showing what it looks like without.

This is good, as it's great to have a direct comparison of methods. It's unfortunate we're not close enough to do a tasting -- I'd love to compare yours and mine. I suspect the carbon may make some difference, but that both are fine.

My Chardonnay (pre-carbon) is darker than I'd normally expect, but it appears to be a bit lighter than your SB. I am highly pleased with it.

EDIT: Noted that my Chardonnay is a pre-carbon kit.

 

[GretchenR]

Gretchen, what variety is that?

Zinfandel Blush. Not the sort of thing I usually make -- I'm a beefy red type person -- but we really like it.

 

[bstnh1]

My FWK Sauvignon Blanc is much lighter and I used the bentonite/carbon + K&C. In my blog, scroll to the bottom to see a picture from a few months ago. Mine is bulk aging at this time.

https://wine.bkfazekas.com/2022-finer-wine-kits-sauvignon-blanc-in-detail/

I've made a few FWK whites - two Chards, one with and one without the carbon. The one with carbon came out noticeably lighter in color. I had no problem clearing the carbon from that one. But the Sauvignon Blanc that I made this spring still had some carbon fines in it after several rackings. It's still sitting a carboy, so I don't know if they've all dropped out or not . One thing I know for sure . . . that carbon is messy to work with from start to finish. Final color is not that important to me, so I may just forget the carbon with future FWK whites.

 

[winemaker81]

I've made a few FWK whites - two Chards, one with and one without the carbon.

Is there any difference in aroma and/or flavor, so far?

 

[bstnh1]

Is there any difference in aroma and/or flavor, so far?

I didn't notice any, but I've only had a small sip or two of each. When I was washing out the carboy after the first racking on the one with carbon, I noticed a very strong acetone like smell in the sediment. But that didn't seem to affect the taste then or during the next racking.

 

[joeswine]

Bentonite is easier with out the drama

 

[winemaker81]

Bentonite is easier with out the drama

Drama?

 

[joeswine]

To use or not to use , light , dark ?
Bentonite works end of story, that’s all .
To each his or hers own

 

[bstnh1]

To use or not to use , light , dark ?
Bentonite works end of story, that’s all .
To each his or hers own

If your commenting on the use of carbon, bentonite does not do the job carbon does.

 

[joeswine]

Never had a problem , just my thoughts, less is more