Ring around the demijohn?

[Paulietivo]

What happens when a wine doesn't complete fermentation? Will it remain cloudy and/or spoil? or will it be a sweet wine?
I saw an article on ec Kraus that stated that it can cause a wine to be cloudy, do you think that is possible in my case? It finished at 1.0, perhaps I should've added some nutrient and let it go longer.

Paul

 

[Paulietivo]

Update°
After about 6 weeks in a keezer set at 35°F the wine has seen great improvements in clarity. The photos show how much sediment was left in the wine even after racking, super klear & filtering. This sediment was stuck to the sides & bottom of the demijohns and the wine was racked off clear. The taste has also improved since the last racking & I'm excited to enjoy the wine after ut has been aged longer. Thanks to those who helped along the way. Cheers
Paul

 

[Boatboy24]

Looks like you had a little cleaning to do.

 

[Paulietivo]

Looks like you had a little cleaning to do.

Yes Jim, but cleaned up easily after I let em bake in the florida sun for 20 mins + garden hose & carboy brush + mark 2 carboy washer (free w the keezer & other equipment my friend gave me).

Paul

 

[Boatboy24]

Nice and shiny!

 

[fabrictodyefor]

I read through your thread, and I've never run into this, but it is always interesting to read what others go through. The only thing....I do not ferment with a tight lid and airlock. I just put a cloth over the ferment bucket...I think to allow the CO2 to escape? I've learned HOW to do things, now I am in the stage where I am trying to remember WHY I do it! Glad it is turning out for you.

 

[Paulietivo]

I read through your thread, and I've never run into this, but it is always interesting to read what others go through. The only thing....I do not ferment with a tight lid and airlock. I just put a cloth over the ferment bucket...I think to allow the CO2 to escape? I've learned HOW to do things, now I am in the stage where I am trying to remember WHY I do it! Glad it is turning out for you.

Hi fabrictodyefor, Thanks for reading my post. Are you sure you don't cover your vat with your special fabrics? Lol
You're in a good place if remembering WHY you do things is your concern. & possibly another glass of wine will help.
But, I believe at the start of fermentation it's actually good to have the oxygen to help feed the yeast. This is why the primary isnt topped up like during storage. And actually the CO2 creates a layer on top of the must which then protects it from oxygen for a short time til the first racking; when the specific gravity is low enough not to produce enough CO2 & thus the protection will wane.

I think this batch of wine forced me to re-learn the whys of doing things as well. For starters I was using fresh juice & from now on at the start of fermentation I will measure the ph, absolutely add yeast nutrient & also top up my wine at the first racking and continue to do so throughout. In addition Ive switched sanitizers from easy clean to star san & kmeta.
In all my years Ive never had a wine not clear in 6 months time, especially with super klear & filtering. I dont think it was bacteria because I added sufficient sulfites both before pitching the yeast & again after primary fermentation. I think for whatever reason thus juice has an enormous amount of potassium bitartrate (cream of tarter) crytals present. Elsewhere Ive read that they will stick to the sides of the bottle during a cold stabilization. What else could this have been? Lol
Im glad it's over & will definitely take the lessons learned with me.
Meanwhile I've started 2 grand cru kits to bring my confidence back up. 1 Cabernet & 1 Chardonnay.
And planning on ordering the fresh juice next month.
Heres to the next grape journey into wine.
Paul