Zucchini Wine

[Luciousonion]

Thanks for the comments. I am going to rack it again into smaller carboys. I last thing I added to it was chitosan. I have two more packets that I can add to the wine once I rack it into the smaller carboys - do you think I should? I did move the carboys into the basement and wrapped them both in towels to block out as much light as possible. I think the different colors is due to the different amount of zucchini that I added to the recipe....the lighter of the two has about 18 - 20 lbs of zucchini while the darker has about 15 - 16. Just a note - the wine actually doesn't taste bad - kinda dry but it can be sweetened. It is the dark color that is concerning........

 

[BigDaveK]

Thanks for the comments. I am going to rack it again into smaller carboys. I last thing I added to it was chitosan. I have two more packets that I can add to the wine once I rack it into the smaller carboys - do you think I should? I did move the carboys into the basement and wrapped them both in towels to block out as much light as possible. I think the different colors is due to the different amount of zucchini that I added to the recipe....the lighter of the two has about 18 - 20 lbs of zucchini while the darker has about 15 - 16. Just a note - the wine actually doesn't taste bad - kinda dry but it can be sweetened. It is the dark color that is concerning........

I've never used chitosan. I think of time as another ingredient and let them clear on their own. Using it is up to you and your amount of patience.

This is interesting - I looked at the recipe again and also did some research on zucchini. There's no pectic enzyme in the recipe but I found that zucchini does have pectin! You may have pectin haze.

 

[winemaker81]

Thanks for the comments. I am going to rack it again into smaller carboys. I last thing I added to it was chitosan. I have two more packets that I can add to the wine once I rack it into the smaller carboys - do you think I should? I did move the carboys into the basement and wrapped them both in towels to block out as much light as possible. I think the different colors is due to the different amount of zucchini that I added to the recipe....the lighter of the two has about 18 - 20 lbs of zucchini while the darker has about 15 - 16. Just a note - the wine actually doesn't taste bad - kinda dry but it can be sweetened. It is the dark color that is concerning........

What dosage of chitosan did you add? Also, how long ago?

All fining agents have pluses and minuses, and a typical minus is that over-dosage can strip things from the wine. There's relatively little detailed information on kieselsol and chitosan, so I can't state the negatives of chitosan. I recommend not dosing again unless deemed absolutely necessary.

If the wine smells and tastes good, don't worry about the color. Posting pictures will help.

Fruit and vegetable wines benefit from at least a bit of backsweetening.

 

[VinesnBines]

I made a zucchini wine once. It was very clear. Yours looks badly oxidized. The flavor was pretty neutral. Like Winemaker_81, if the taste is good, don't both about the color, though an oxidized wine may begin to have off flavors. Maybe try turning it into a sherry or madeira.