WineXpert Old vine Zinfandel with skins

[ahouse86]

Hello all this is my second kit. Im new to the wine scene but have been making beer for a while so here we go. Moved wine to secondary after 10 day ferment and the gravity was below 1.010 like the kit said. The issue I'm having is there are these white spots that formed between the wine and the carboy. There are a few floating in the wine but not as many as on the carboy. The carboy was sanitized with starsan. Attached is a picture and I appreciate your help

Thanks

Andy

 

[ahouse86]

anyone have any ideas?

 

[sour_grapes]

Do you mean the small white specks, perhaps a few hundred in your picture? If so, I don't know exactly what it is, but I would not worry about it. Doesn't look like an infection to me.

 

[jumby]

Doesn't appear to me that it is anything you need to be concerned with.

 

[ahouse86]

Thanks guys. It's weird that they weren't there before. I'm just worried about ruining the batch because these eclipse kitsbarent cheap.

 

[scram]

I had similar concerns with a wine last year... As you can see, an odd looking patch of white bubbles. Probably caused by some left over sanitizer. Personally, I don't think you have anything to worry about

 

[scram]

BTW, top up that carboy with similar wine or marbles

 

[ahouse86]

Do you have to top up or could you purge with co2

 

[scram]

Are you still in "secondary" fermentation? If so just keep air locked and it will have a natural co2 blanket... If in bulk aging stage I would personally top with sanitized marbles. No marbles, similar wine.

 

[Jc5066]

Looks like residual sanitizer to me. No worries, it will go away.

 

[freqflyer]

If that's the Eclipse Old Vine Zinfandel, mine did the same thing. No worries. It's a great wine. Mines just about a year old and very good. Resist drinking any in the 4-6 month range. It goes nasty for a bit and comes back.

 

[Pittsburgh127]

The Eclipse Old Vines Zinfandel is one of the best kits I've made. What you're seeing doesn't sound like much of a problem, but to be safe, maybe steal a bit out of the carboy and taste it. No off flavors, I'm thinking you'll be fine.

 

[scram]

Nice guys, love the update. My zin and barolo are coming up on their 6 month racking. Looking forward to a taste... Patience, patience, patience...

 

[Kiwisholland]

Just bottled my Zin kit that was pitched 12/14/14. Fairly bland. I'm hoping its in a down stage right now. It was my first kit, and I used the sorbate. I've had a glass sitting poured all day hoping it will get better, and it has a tad. I'll open a bottle in a month or so to see where it's at. Underwhelmed at this point.

Bulk aged with French Med. toast spirals for a year-ish, new spirals each time, racking every three months with KMeta.

 

[Kiwisholland]

I'm drinking from the open glass. Acidic. Some oak. Faint kit taste. A little hot, not sure on ABV. Very little aroma, but it's been in the air for 5 hours. Getting better. I'll decant the first bottle in a month or two

 

[ceeaton]

I'm drinking from the open glass. Acidic. Some oak. Faint kit taste. A little hot, not sure on ABV. Very little aroma, but it's been in the air for 5 hours. Getting better. I'll decant the first bottle in a month or two

Assuming everything during ferment went okay. 29 or 30 bottles worth. Did you use the yeast that came with it or substitute?

Was eyeing this kit for the spring, but I am eyeing others too. Just trying to make an educated guess as to which one to pick. Your description to this point isn't promising.

 

[Kiwisholland]

This was my first kit. Followed directions to the letter. Sorbate, etc. I wouldn't judge the kit on my experience. Everything went fine as I can tell. Got 29 Bottles. Drank some as I went. We bought an Italian Primitivo at the state store: $10.99, and I like the kit better than that!

I'll check in in a month or two with more input. My second kit was the Eclipse Syrah, and I've liked that at every tasting. Did NOT use the sorbate. I've got the Forza and the Nebbiolo going, going to pitch the LE Barbera in a week or two. Have enjoyed all at every point in their young lives. I probably f*ed up the Zin. Time will tell

 

[Kiwisholland]

Yes, used the 1118 that came with the kit

 

[rustbucket]

Kiwisholland,

It sounds like you've done everything right, but you did say that you just bottled it. In that case, you could be experiencing what my local wine making supplier calls "bottle shock". Give it a month undisturbed in the bottle then try it again to see if it's developed any of its complexity.

Ron

 

[Kiwisholland]

Thanks Ron