Sauvignon blanc looks like cider in Secondary

[crabjoe]

I'm in the process of making a wine kit.. Miracle Wine is what it's called. It was 2L extract that makes 6 gallons...

When I 1st opened up the package, I noticed the extract was dark. Didn't think anything of it since it was an extract and I have no experience in making wine.. It fermented to dry really fast so I moved it to the secondary. I got 5 gallons from a 6 gallon kit.

I was showing a friend of mine a picture when she said it looked like I was brewing beer. I was like, that about the same color as the extract was, and since it's pretty clear, I wondering why it was so dark. It really looks like a hard cider in color...

I understand that oxidized wine will go brown, but it's only fermented to dry about a week ago.. I can't imagine the problem being oxidation...

Can someone with more experience tell me if this is normal at times or is something already wrong? I'll post a pic once I get a chance later today.

Thanks!

 

[cmason1957]

White wines are always somewhat dark, before they clear. I guess they might look like a very light beer.

 

[sour_grapes]

Google "Lambert's Law."

 

[cmason1957]

Google "Lambert's Law."

Being from Missouri and growing up north of Sikeston, when you said "Lamberts" I immediately thought of throwed rolls and all you can eat home cooking.

https://throwedrolls.com/

(sorry for the thread hijack)

 

[crabjoe]

White wines are always somewhat dark, before they clear. I guess they might look like a very light beer.

Below is the 1st beer I've brewed. It's a Pale Ale from a kit, and I'm surprised at how dark it is. I meant to take a pic of the Sauvignon Blanc, but I forgot because was was trying to get the beer kegged to get it carbonated. I can say the wine isn't as dark as this beer, but I think it's about 1/2 way there.

BTW, the filter is a 1 micron filter and that's what I was planning on using on the wine. But based on what I saw with the beer, I might need to go to .5 microns on the wine. I pushed the beer with CO2... With the wine, I'm thinking either I'll need to use a a vacuum or pump.

 

[cmason1957]

If you wine looks anything like that beer, it certainly isn't ready for filtering, it will probably end with crying and gnashing of teeth. Only filter clear wine and beer.

 

[crabjoe]

If you wine looks anything like that beer, it certainly isn't ready for filtering, it will probably end with crying and gnashing of teeth. Only filter clear wine and beer.

Thanks... Since I racked, wine is clearing on it's own nicely. There's stuff... not sure exactly what to call it, settling at the bottom... looks nice and compact too. I think I'll rack it again this weekend.

 

[cmason1957]

Thanks... Since I racked, wine is clearing on it's own nicely. There's stuff... not sure exactly what to call it, settling at the bottom... looks nice and compact too. I think I'll rack it again this weekend.

Conventional racking schedule is 3 days after fermentation completes, then 3 weeks, then once every three months. Racking exposes your wine to oxygen. But it's your wine do as you please.

That stuff settling to the bottom is called lees.

 

[crabjoe]

Conventional racking schedule is 3 days after fermentation completes, then 3 weeks, then once every three months. Racking exposes your wine to oxygen. But it's your wine do as you please.

That stuff settling to the bottom is called lees.

Mucho Thanks for the info. I guess I should let it sit longer.. I'm impatient, if you can't tell.. I keep wanting to make more wine, to see how doing different things can change the out come, but man... it takes way to long for the process to complete.

 

[Johnd]

Mucho Thanks for the info. I guess I should let it sit longer.. I'm impatient, if you can't tell.. I keep wanting to make more wine, to see how doing different things can change the out come, but man... it takes way to long for the process to complete.

Buy more carboys, don’t hurry your wine.

 

[jsbeckton]

That pale ale does look really dark but it’s sometimes hard to tell for sure until it’s in a small glass. However, you mentioned the beer was from a kit and I personally have found those to be very disappointing but know others like them.

 

[Scooter68]

Conventional racking schedule is 3 days after fermentation completes, then 3 weeks, then once every three months. Racking exposes your wine to oxygen. But it's your wine do as you please.

That stuff settling to the bottom is called lees.

I like that schedule - Gets rid of the gross lees and the bulk of the finer lees (at 3 weeks) Only thing I might add is "IF" using bentonite or a fining agent post fermentation, I like to use it when racking at the end of fermentation so that 3 week racking has more sediment and is more compacted. BUT as always if it works great.

 

[crabjoe]

I like that schedule - Gets rid of the gross lees and the bulk of the finer lees (at 3 weeks) Only thing I might add is "IF" using bentonite or a fining agent post fermentation, I like to use it when racking at the end of fermentation so that 3 week racking has more sediment and is more compacted. BUT as always if it works great.

What do you think about adding a fining agent when going to a secondary fermentation before it's gone completely dry?

For example, say you're at 1.010 and rack it. Do you think it would be ok to add Bentonite or Sparkolloid at that time to compact the sediment as it's finishing up it's fermentation over the 3 week period, or is that a "No, No" because it could cause the fermentation to stop or change the flavor? (craze sentence there.. but I think you know what I'm asking.. Hahahahah)

Thanks!

 

[Scooter68]

Not sure about Sparkloid but Bentonite should be no problem.

While some people have remarked about color change - I personally believe that what they are seeing is a lightening up due to fewer particles in the wine. Flavor changes - Really haven't heard many complaints about Bentonite doing that.

Remember that final period of fermentation could be a couple of days OR a couple of weeks. Once fermentation is over you should be racking off the lees unless you plan on leaving grape skins in to extract more tannins and color. So really I would prefer to either add Bentonite at one of 3 times: 1) At start of fermentation, 2) After fermentation has ended (then wait 3 weeks and rack to remove sediment) 3) Towards end of aging if the wine is not clearing very well. In that case (3) I would definitely use both Bentonite and Chitosan to remove both positive and negative charged particles.

 

[crabjoe]

The Sauvignon Blanc cleared.. In the last two days it cleared like crazy. You can't tell from the pic, but there's a slight haze to it.




As for the haze you can't see in the pic, will it eventually go away on it's own or should I add something to help it along?


BTW, it's not a good pic, but here's what it looked like before.

 

[gsf77]

Dang!