Zinfandel grapes -> wine! A new member's introduction via a 75L of red deliciousness.

[tjmeyer]

I conducted a test last year, using K&C on two different wines. The result was that the use of K&C reduced nose and introduced a slight bitterness.

I'll use bentonite on whites and fruit wines, but not on reds, as it strips color. Generally I use a lower dose than indicated.

Filtering? I did that many moons ago, but decided it wasn't worth it. In recent years I barrel age reds for a year, then bottle.

K&C results are surprising, was the wine aged well before sampling?

 

[winemaker81]

K&C results are surprising, was the wine aged well before sampling?

I barrel aged two reds for 12 months, bottling most of each, and treating 19 liters of each with K&C. That was Nov/Dec 2022.

Taste testing was conducted June, July, and August of last year (2023), by numerous people. My results are documented here:

https://www.winemakingtalk.com/threads/kieselsol-and-chitosan-test-results.77805/

 

[tjmeyer]

I barrel aged two reds for 12 months, bottling most of each, and treating 19 liters of each with K&C. That was Nov/Dec 2022.

Taste testing was conducted June, July, and August of last year (2023), by numerous people. My results are documented here:

https://www.winemakingtalk.com/threads/kieselsol-and-chitosan-test-results.77805/

This is literal gold! Thx for the work on this.

 

[tjmeyer]

K&C is WIDELY used in industry and is likely the method employed for most wines that are <$30 / bottle. You do pay for top quality, so I guess I'm not too surprised by your findings--old school is still best!

 

[Nebbiolo020]

K&C is WIDELY used in industry and is likely the method employed for most wines that are <$30 / bottle. You do pay for top quality, so I guess I'm not too surprised by your findings--old school is still best!

I only do K&C or egg whites I’m that old school lol.

 

[MiBor]

I only do K&C or egg whites I’m that old school lol.

@Nebbiolo020 you mentioned in another thread that most of the filtered wines you've tried seemed "lifeless" and you only use fining and proper aging to settle sediment before bottling. Can you elaborate a little more on this subject? Do you think the pore size of the filter may create that impression on sterile filtered wines, but possibly the 5 micron filter may leave the taste unaffected? I'm curious if there is more to this filtering aversion from your perspective as a professional, as well as a home winemaker. I don't remember ever seeing a wine advertised as "unfiltered", like some of the Belgian beers I like. I think the wine industry would capitalize on this aspect for marketing purposes, if it really made that much difference...

 

[Nebbiolo020]

@Nebbiolo020 you mentioned in another thread that most of the filtered wines you've tried seemed "lifeless" and you only use fining and proper aging to settle sediment before bottling. Can you elaborate a little more on this subject? Do you think the pore size of the filter may create that impression on sterile filtered wines, but possibly the 5 micron filter may leave the taste unaffected? I'm curious if there is more to this filtering aversion from your perspective as a professional, as well as a home winemaker. I don't remember ever seeing a wine advertised as "unfiltered", like some of the Belgian beers I like. I think the wine industry would capitalize on this aspect for marketing purposes, if it really made that much difference...

I have found that filters of any kind strip color and tannins and flavor from wine and it’s quite noticeable you lose a lot of the more delicate aromas and flavors and the wine tastes generic and mass market. It has long been known that filters damage wine. Whether a wine is filtered or not it’s not labeled only natural wines really label it natural wine is the way they are advertising and marketing unfiltered wines but commercial entities use it to pass of damaged goods and bad wines as natural because they can’t sell them otherwise and it’s damaged natural wines as a whole.