Cellar Craft Protein Ring

[Boatboy24]

I racked my Red Mountain Trio into secondary on Monday night and added the enzyme pack, according to the instructions. Two days later, I have that pesky protein ring at the top of the Carboy. I thought the enzyme pack was used to get rid of the protein ring. Should I wait a bit? Stir? Call Cellar Craft?

 

[ibglowin]

Did you rack off the gross lees are dump it all into the carboy. Bentonite which would be in the gross lees will deactivate the enzyme. If you left the gross lees behind then just wait it out and the enzyme should break down the protein ring in a week or so.

 

[Boatboy24]

Thanks Mike. I left the lees behind (well, in a separate container, so,I could extract more wine from them). I'll wait it out.

 

[ibglowin]

I have that kit on deck to do probably this Winter. I will keep an eye out for the dreaded "ring"!

 

[UBB]

I have one of these in secondary with the oak. No ring for me. BTW, this wine shows huge potential IMO.

 

[ibglowin]

It should be a killer. Fantastic blend off the bat. Red Mountain is the most expensive dirt in WA wine country. Its also a very TINY AVA so getting fruit sourced from that AVA for a wine kit is truly an amazing feat. Bottles of Cabernet from this AVA easily go for $80 a pop. BTW thats equivalent to ~$320 a bottle if the juice came out of somewhere in Napa!

 

[Boatboy24]

The sample I tasted after primary was outstanding already. Can't imagine what father time will do to this one. I have high expectations.

I looked at a couple Red Mtn Cabs at Total wine a couple weeks ago - prices started at $50. I was able to get a blend that was $25 (2009 CODA from Cadence: http://cadencewinery.com/wines-page/). Very, very nice wine.

 

[Boatboy24]

8 days later - ring still there.

Looking back (I've only done a few of these CC kits, mind you) I've always forgotten to add the enzyme blend in secondary and have instead added it when degassing and stabilizing. That's worked just fine. Even though I had racked this once, I guess there was enough bentonite still hanging around to render it useless.

I guess a call to Cellar Craft is in order? I'm thinking I need another enzyme packet.

 

[deboard]

I accidentally added this enzyme packet to my primary when I did my CC Old Vine Zinfandel kit. So far no ring though, it has a week left on the schedule.

Just got the CC Red Mountain Trio, so I'll try to get it in the right spot this time.

 

[robie]

It the ring is what the enzyme is supposed to correct, as you rack the wine out of the carboy, the ring will sort of slide down the sides of the carboy and give it a coating that looks like milk.

You may have to contact the LHBS you bought the kit from and ask for another packet. May be better just to contact CC directly, though. I had to go through 3 packets before I got rid of the yuck. (In the end, that wine turned out to be the best I have made thus far.)

 

[Boatboy24]

Update: Wrote to George at Finevinewines last week, and he is hooking me up with another enzyme packet. He says that should knock out the ring. Great service. I'll be racking out of secondary and degassing once that arrives.

 

[ibglowin]

Good to hear.

In George we trust!