Wine won’t clear now

[cooknhogz]

Made a kit that that looked good until I added the clearifing pack now the Merlot looks like purple muddy water a week and a half after adding. The one packet was a little milky and my buddy at a beer and wine shop said I probably had a out of date bad pack and it’s probably not going to clear. The question I have is there any saving the 6 gallon batch from the drain? or chalk it up as a loss and start over? I was thinking rack it off any sediment and add bentonite but I don’t know.

 

[cmason1957]

I certainly wouldn't pour it down the drain. Terrible thing to do, even if you never get this to clear to your satisfaction. I would make certain it has no CO2 left in it, as in degassed and then maybe add Dual-fine or just let it sit for about 2 or 3 months. It's amazing how much it will clear with just time.

 

[heatherd]

Made a kit that that looked good until I added the clearifing pack now the Merlot looks like purple muddy water a week and a half after adding. The one packet was a little milky and my buddy at a beer and wine shop said I probably had a out of date bad pack and it’s probably not going to clear. The question I have is there any saving the 6 gallon batch from the drain? or chalk it up as a loss and start over? I was thinking rack it off any sediment and add bentonite but I don’t know.

Definitely don't toss the batch. I don't agree with the guy at the wine/beer shop that it won't clear, or that the clearing pack is bad. I do agree with @cmason1957 that it may be saved by degassing by stirring, letting it sit for a few months, and then if those don't work adding some fining agents like superkleer kc or similar. That said, if it were mine I'd stir and then let it sit even as much as a year, rather than introducing more clearing agents; just my personal preference.

 

[heatherd]

Here's a good video on degassing from winemaker's academy:

 

[cooknhogz]

I degassed before I added the clearing agents but will try again and let it sit and see what happens. I have plenty of other bottled wine and plenty of time. Thanks for the replies

 

[crushday]

I agree with @cmason1957 and @heatherd, don't toss it. Time is your friend and should clear over time without anymore additions. Buying another carboy and letting this one sit it out is better than dropping a whole kit down the drain.

I am curious about the optics of the batch now, however. Can you submit a pic, @cooknhogz?

 

[joeswine]

It probably won't clear I had the same problem wot a green apple Riesling, clearing agent was cloudy put it in ,that was the end .
It still has a somewhat decent taste but not quit what it should be and by the way this is the 3rd time I've made this kit.
I think this is a manufacturer defect.

 

[1d10t]

Have you contacted the people that make the kit for help?

 

[cooknhogz]

Yes, I emailed the manufacturer and they said they stand behind their products and will replace if needed. I was just hoping there was a fix to possibly save the batch. I planned to let it sit for awhile an see what happens

 

[winemaker81]

What is the SG? If the wine has not finished fermenting, it will not clear, nor can you degas it. As others have noted, if there is suspended CO2, the wine won't clear.

If the SG is below 1.000 and you've degassed, try pectic enzyme. It's almost never needed in grape wines, but I've seen a couple of cases where someone thought pasteurizing their wine was a good idea. The kit vendors apparently use heat -- it's entirely possible your kit was overheated just enough to cause a problem.

BTW: I can't recall which, but either kieselsol or chitosan ALWAYS looks a bit milky.

 

[topper9520]

I was use egg whites first before adding any of those other clearing agents but if I was to use one it would be sparkolloid.

 

[bstnh1]

I certainly wouldnt throw it out! I've had a couple of kit wines that refused to clear using the kit finings. I added Super-Kleer (50ml Chitosan and 15ml Kieselsol) and it did the job. For one batch, I added 2 packets before it cleared. But it did the job ad the wine came out fine. I believe it's now known as "Dualfine".

 

[joeswine]

And sometimes it's better to leave well enough along the more you play with the base the more you change the structure and chemical components and the more inbalance you occur.
If the Mfg. Will stand by the product then get a new kit and move on.

 

[winemaker81]

Why throw out perfectly good wine because it did not clear as expected? It makes more sense to verify that fermentation has completed and, if necessary, add a fining agent to clear it.

 

[Ajmassa]

Just like everyone else said, There’s likely a whole slew of products that would get this batch to clear probably. And remember, this is still wine- getting it into the bottle and consumed too quick goes against tried and true techniques. Routine racking and time will have a wine clear and co2 free eventually.
If not aging then adding any of these fining agents is better than tossing.

Bentonite
Dualfine
Superkleer
chitosan/kielosol
Isinglass
Even Filtering

 

[porkchopmessiah]

Peach being the longest clearing so far for me, I invested in a mini jet filter...

 

[cooknhogz]

Appreciate all the comments and suggestions. The wine was at .996 when I degassed and stabilized. The Manufacturer is sending me Super-kleer and should be here today. I plan on racking into a bucket, re-degassing, and adding the Super-Kleer then rack back into a clean carboy. Hopefully she clears out. To be continued

 

[winemaker81]

And remember, this is still wine- getting it into the bottle and consumed too quick goes against tried and true techniques.

"Time" was used in the past because their were no alternatives. Someone figured out that egg whites will settle red wine (I'm wondering how someone figured that one out). As time went on, people figured out more and more ways to settle/clear wine.

Especially with the introduction of modern clearing agents, time is no longer the only acceptable method. We have numerous choices, all valid. It's all a trade-off, each person's decisions on what risks they are willing to take.

 

[sour_grapes]

"Time" was used in the past because their were no alternatives. Someone figured out that egg whites will settle red wine (I'm wondering how someone figured that one out). As time went on, people figured out more and more ways to settle/clear wine.

Especially with the introduction of modern clearing agents, time is no longer the only acceptable method. We have numerous choices, all valid. It's all a trade-off, each person's decisions on what risks they are willing to take.

I am not AJ, but I took his message to mean that aging time has other salubrious effects on the wine than simply clearing it of particulates. I.e., aged wines taste better.

 

[winemaker81]

I am not AJ, but I took his message to mean that aging time has other salubrious effects on the wine than simply clearing it of particulates. I.e., aged wines taste better.

Time in bulk and aging are not the same thing. I typically bottle in 3 to 4 months, and don't seriously touch a batch until it generally hits the year mark. However, I recommend to all new wine makers to sample bottles at 3 month intervals so they learn first hand why aging is good.

It has been demonstrated that wine ages faster in smaller quantities, so bottling sooner means it's drinkable sooner. I recall an article in Wine Spectator about rieslings from the 1700's. Very high acidity, large bottles. Smaller bottles didn't age as well, or survive at all.

Some folks decide to start drinking a wine shortly after they bottle? <shrug> It's their choice. If asked for my opinion I'll share, but no one is required nor expected to listen to me.

It's all about choices. We have a wide variety of choices and I find it important to give the information to new wine makers (or old ones, for that matter) so they can make their own decisions.