white ring around carboy neck

[flugelizor]

Two months after initial pitch I am seeing a very thin film on top of my red wine, and a white ring around the top of the carboy.
Is it normal? Maybe MLF?
Should I take action?

See below for some extra details...
Bummer, noobs can't post pics?
http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=208&pictureid=1156
http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=208&pictureid=1157

I made my 2nd red from Dechaunac juice purchased from a winery in the finger lakes.
I warmed it to 80F, poured it on the skins & seeds, and pitched Red Star Montrachet.

Every day I punched down with a spoon disinfected with iodophor. This is the stuff I had on hand from beer brewing.

Fermentation went strong for a week, then slowed, and I racked and pressed one day later.
Now two Months after initial pitch I am seeing a very thin film on top, and a white ring around the top of the carboy.

Sorry if it's a noobie question. I searched some, could not see my exact issue.
Thanks!

 

[Tom]

1st, New members cant post pix due to possible Spam. After you post I think 10 msg's then you will be allowed.
Now to the 1st question. To me it looks OK. But can use more info. What was the starting gravity? what is it now? What kind of wine?
MLF will show tiny bubbles and will see a slight action in the airlock. Did you add anything after racking? Did you stabilize? It may be pectic haze.

 

[Wade E]

That looks absolutely normal to me, just some solids hanging around most lilley due to the wine needing degassing. If the sg is stable then its time to sulfite the wine and degas it so that your wine can start to clear even if you will be using a fining agent.

 

[flugelizor]

1st, New members cant post pix due to possible Spam. After you post I think 10 msg's then you will be allowed.
Now to the 1st question. To me it looks OK. But can use more info. What was the starting gravity? what is it now? What kind of wine?
MLF will show tiny bubbles and will see a slight action in the airlock. Did you add anything after racking? Did you stabilize? It may be pectic haze.

Original Brix - 20.5
SG - sorry I don't have a hydrometer - Looking for a plastic one.
Last one I took the virgin hydrometer out of the tube and SNAP! broke before first use! Maybe I should manufacture plastic ones.
Dechaunac is a "bordeaux style red" french american hybrid red
Not much airlock activity after racking.
Nothing added
Not stabilized - just dropped to 64F

 

[Runningwolf]

flugelizor I thought about doing that same juice this past fall but could not find any finished wine to taste first. You are fortunate to live up by the Finger Lakes. As far as hydrometers go you can not make wine accurately without one, and if you only have one you'll surely break it. Most of us learned the hard way and now always keep at least one spare around. Like Wade said it is probably time to degas and stabilize. Keep us posted.

 

[flugelizor]

Great - Will do.
Somewhere I read wine from fresh juice doesn't need degassing, but I will give it a try.

Thanks all!

 

[Wade E]

Basically only wine from red grapes that have been pressed after fermentation is the only wine that doesnt need degassing as the pressing and pouring of the wine into the press does all the work for you. All other wine will need degassing as we gently transfer the wine from one vessel to another.

 

[flugelizor]

RunningWolf -
Hey, you are close enough. I hear there are some nice vinyards on lake Erie.
My coworker goes there instead of finger lakes.
But, yeah, this year I may have gotten lucky -
Dechaunac:
Brix 20.5
Total acid 0.76
PH 3.2

I am just learning, but I think those numbers are noice, NO?

 

[Wade E]

Those are very good #;s!

 

[Runningwolf]

I bought some juice at Presque Isle wine cellars and a ton of juice at Walkers. about six weeks ago we took a ride up to Corning Glass Museum and only had enough time to hit the Finger Lakes for one winery. Only time I had been there and couldn't believe how beautiful it was. Your also close enough then to Waterloo container, right? There is another member on this forum that lives by me that rides up there to buy grapes to bring back and press.

 

[flugelizor]

Basically only wine from red grapes that have been pressed after fermentation is the only wine that doesnt need degassing as the pressing and pouring of the wine into the press does all the work for you. All other wine will need degassing as we gently transfer the wine from one vessel to another.

I may just pass on the degass.
Since I did strain then pressed the skins & seeds.
I have seen very little gas from my red.

My white, on the other hand won't stop bubbling. After 2.5 months
It is Cayuga. And was fermented below 70F

 

[Catfish]

My concord has that ring around it too. Just appeared last week.