filter or not to filter, that is my question

hi,

1st time here & 1st time wine-maker-just finished a Merlot, basic kit, pretty good, but was not sure about the de-gassing part, probably could have done better. My question, howver, is about filtering the wine. I did not with this 1st batch & it sure is cloudy. Is the preference for filtering mostly aesthetic or should I be more concerned and opt for filtering- I don't want to spend too much. thanks!

Welcome to the forum luvwine.
I sounds like you should have left the Merlot in the secondary longer or racked it another time or two. The kits will normally clear fine on their own if left long enough. I rarely need to filter even though I have one.

I like appleman do not filter any of my kit wines and if you didn't degas properly it will affect the clearing stage.


Welcome to the forum!

Welcome luvwine, patience is all it takes with wine. We dont always go
by the instructions listed on the kits. They usually require more time
than listed in aging and sometimes clarifying otherwise follow all
directions. Ask any questions you have because we are glad to help as
this is what we do.

Some of us on the forum do filter, but it tends to be the whites and the fruit wines that get filtered rather than the reds.

With red wines, it is really difficult to see if they are clear or not but with most kit wines, the clarity is not an issue at all if you follow instructions. I think some people are concerned about stripping flavor when filtering.

With Whites on the other hand there is a great deal of satisfaction in setting a very clear bottle with sun behind it for your dinner guests to marvel at how clear the wine is. Filtering will do that for you.

I filter all of my wines but it certainly isn't necessary unless you were considering entering wines in competitions. The others have hit the the nail on the head. If the wine isn't degassed properly, it will not clear properly. Are all of the bottles cloudy or is there a lot of sediment in the bottle? This determines if the wine was clear and you sucked up some of the sediment when bottling. If the wine is truly cloudy, it wasn't ready to bottle and filtering cloudy wine will not clear it properly. The wine needs to be clear prior to filtering.


Smurfe

If I were to filter my wines I think I would only filter the whites as
they will be the ones that would really benefit much from it as
anything in the bottle is really seen in a white. youll know next time
to let it sit longer and see the difference in the carboy when it is
truly clear. I think we probably have all made that mistake on one of
our first wines. Mine was the Blackberry cab. It was not cloudy and
looked good but I have 2 bottles that I save from each wine I make and
I see a little sediment in those 2 bottles.

luvwine, welcome to the post. Like some, I am on the fence with filtering. I was just about ready to buy a gravity fed one for a strawberry wine, but after three months in the carboy, the tiny crystals I was worrying about are starting to drop. I think colder storage would have hastened this. As already stated above, I wouldn't bother filtering a wine I couldn't see through. It would probably just clog the filter halfway through and make more of a mess than it's worth.

Filtering is entirely a personal-preference thing. I have entered unfiltered wines that I used Super-Kleer on (finings) intoa contest, and the "worst" (according to score)got honorable mention while the best got silver. They didn't suffer in the scoring because of clarity. Filtering gives your wine a shine - kind of like a diamond shines compared to a good imitation. There's just a bit more clarity, sparkle, or something to the wine.




But keep in mind when you filter you wine should be relatively clear to start with, or you just plug your pads up that much quicker.

luvwine, Welcome to the forum. To filter or not to filter? I don't know if there is a solid correct answer. I filter all my wines because I like the polished look I get (the shine). Although It may be true that filtering may remove some color , aroma or flavor this would be so slight you would hardly notice the effect. All the above posts make valid points, I think it still remains a personal preference.
<DIV SuperAdBlocker_DIV_Elements="0" SuperAdBlocker_OnMove_Hooked="0" SuperAdBlocker__Hooked="0" SuperAdBlocker_DIV_FirstLook="0">Bill

I have nothing against filtering, just cant get myself to spend that
amount of money when I get it so very close to that with Superkleer and
more time. But I can see myself getting it when I have more money in my
pocket. ya know, gotta have toys.
Edited by: wadewade

I, too, am a toy kind of person. I had to buy an electric filter. I have used it several times. As for the taste... I haven't noticed a difference from before or after. Some of the wines that I filtered did show a slight bit more clear (even the reds). Not that noticable though. I do make a point to bulk age them for several months after a filter though (In order to let them 'unshock'.)

I say if you want one and have the flexable capitol, then get one. toys toys toys...... But ultimately, a filter is not needed.

wadewade said:

I have nothing against filtering, just cant get myself to spend that amount of money when I get it so very close to that with Superkleer and more time. But I can see myself getting it when I hace more money in my pocket. ya know, gotta have toys.

Click to expand...

That itch to buy toys never leaves ...even when you think you have enough....yep you don't and then you buy again and again and....etc

bmorosco said:

That itch to buy toys never leaves ...even when you think you have enough....yep you don't and then you buy again and again and....etc

Click to expand...

That's why I have so many hobbies (photography, woodworking, model
railroading, and now wine making). It's the endless need for toys.

Stop meeeee - before I hobby again.

Peter, we will have to get you to start your own grapes for using in the wine. No.......... it's not another hobby..... no....... really it's not. I decided to grow a few this year and now have over a half acre and am going to plant another half acre this coming year.... And then there's the next year. Soon I'll be swimming in wine grapes, so I'll need a destemmer/crusher and then a bigger press, larger fermentation vessels. and... and..... no, it's not another hobby.

Peter, maybe you need a sponcer! Appleman, maybe you'll need another acre.


Edited by: wadewade

I purchased a gravity filter from a local supply. He had a few on the shelves that were not moving and gave me a good deal along with a few packages of filter pads. I filter all my light colored wines now and have noticed a huge difference in theclarity of the wine after being in the bottle for a while. Seems I don't get as much dusting as before using it.

I too think I hobby for the toys! I'm also into paper crafts like scrapbooking and cards. Talk about a way to drop some money!
And then there's Bert and his guns! Black powder, rifles... and all the etc that goes with them! But really, we're fine. We admit to no problems!

Appleman,

I live on 1/4 acre, and in Memphis, so a vineyard is not practical. Besides, note that you didn't see "gardening" in my list of hobbies. If I visit one of your vineyards you would be well advised to forceably prevent me from touching your vines. Brown thumb is an understatement.