Name that Haze!

[Bliorg]

Hi all -

So I've got this '18 sauv blanc from Washington State juice. Nothing remarkable about the winemaking, but was a little hazy before bottling. I ran it through a #2 filter on the Mini Jet and it looked brilliant. Bottled, laid up. A few months after bottling it got hazy and eventually threw a sediment. The wine is really tasty and I was really unhappy with the aesthetics. In December I ran the pectin test, which seemed positive. I dumped the bottles back into a carboy, sulfited lightly, dosed the hell out of it with pectic enzyme, threw a ThermWrap on it to keep it around 75F, and waited. Eventually cleared quite a bit. I racked today, what seemed like a clean racking, and still have thus:



I'm not sure what to do with this. I hit it with SuperKleer before originally bottling, not sure if that would fix what ails now. I didn't bentonite it, but this has never been exposed to heat, so I wouldn't think the proteins would have ever had a chance to denature. I may have carried a little sediment over in the racking, but not like this.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Scott

 

[mainshipfred]

Does seem a little unusual for an 18. It's always been my understanding cooler temperatures help the particulates far out faster and become more dense. If it were mine I might try letting it cool to 40-50 for a few days them filter again with a .5 micron if you have one.

 

[Bliorg]

Thanks Fred - that's essentially what I did the first time 'round, want something a little more proactive this time. I'd be super frustrated if it threw another sediment in bottle.

Still hazy this afternoon, so bit the bullet and fined with bentonite:



That's at 0.33 g/L. We shall see...

 

[sour_grapes]

Name that Haze!

Okay, I'll bite: How about "Rutherford B. Haze"?

 

[Bliorg]

That seems to have been golden.

There’s still some really fine particulate suspended, but it’s also only been 24 hours. Amazing the difference that made. I can see though what a PITA racking is going to be, looks like ash.

I’m good with this. While I’d like to take a more reactive approach to these things (don’t try to fix a problem until there actually IS a problem) I can see the utility in adding some bentonite to the ferment...

 

[Ct Winemaker]

If you have the ability to cold stabilize (chill close to 32 deg f for 2-3 weeks), the acid fallout will compact the bentonite for less loss at racking. Will also help to clear.

 

[crabjoe]

I call it "Not my haze"

Sorry it's happening to you .. Wish I knew what it was.

 

[Bliorg]

I think it's clear now...



Very pleased with how this turned out. Going to let it sit a while more, rack, filter, and bottle. Groovy.

 

[Collie Flowers farm]

Looks tasty

 

[Bliorg]

Bottling day! Racked off the sediment, filtered, and into bottles:

Untitled by Scott, on Flickr

Sauv Blanc, finished by Scott, on Flickr

Tastes fantastic, and sparkles. Hopefully the haze is gone for good...

 

[robert81650]

I have a Sauv Blanc fermenting right now......hope it clears like it's suppose to...........

 

[Boatboy24]

Bottling day! Racked off the sediment, filtered, and into bottles:

Untitled by Scott, on Flickr

Sauv Blanc, finished by Scott, on Flickr

Tastes fantastic, and sparkles. Hopefully the haze is gone for good...

It certainly sparkles. And the label looks great.

 

[Bliorg]

It certainly sparkles. And the label looks great.

Thanks Jim! Just waiting for some warm spring evenings on the deck now...