wine thief / white stuff floating in my wine?

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BettyJ

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Ok, I am thinking that someone has been breaking into my wine, so before I confront my housekeeper, can someone help me troubleshoot?

1. My pineapple riesling / 5 gal carboy (6 months age with rubber bung) was low in volume since my last check over 6 weeks ago - by almost 1 gallon! The others stored nearby were full.

2. The same wine (overage) in a separate 1 gallon container was not also low in volume, but has white flecks floating in it. I strained it out yesterday and there is no difference in the flavor between the 2 wines.

There doesn't seem to be any oxidation (thank goodness), but what the hey?
Note: this is my 6th batch of the same recipe with never issues like this.

Am I going crazy?
 
In my opinion, there's no way a gallon / 4 litres of wine, will evaporate without help in 6 weeks.

Unless you are sleepwalking and drinking it..

I think you have a theiving problem somewhere.

btw Betty, how you doing?.. I heard Belize has had some weather issues. Did storm Alex have much effect on where you are?

Allie
 
Your carboy doesn't have a crack in it that is seeping out wine does it?

That would be my only other thought - but i think you would have noticed a wet spot on the floor.
 
I think its a monkey with a bamboo straw.

monkey.jpg
 
Ok, I am thinking that someone has been breaking into my wine, so before I confront my housekeeper, can someone help me troubleshoot?

1. My pineapple riesling / 5 gal carboy (6 months age with rubber bung) was low in volume since my last check over 6 weeks ago - by almost 1 gallon! The others stored nearby were full.

2. The same wine (overage) in a separate 1 gallon container was not also low in volume, but has white flecks floating in it. I strained it out yesterday and there is no difference in the flavor between the 2 wines.

There doesn't seem to be any oxidation (thank goodness), but what the hey?
Note: this is my 6th batch of the same recipe with never issues like this.

Am I going crazy?

I hear a wine thief is down there and setting up shop @ your house.
 
Yep, I agree, someone is swidling your wine and those specks are from being too low in that carboy and getting too much 02. Sulfite the batch and keep it topped up.
 
Need to hook up a 220 line to it and wait for the scream. You can always put a tag on it with a bunch of info and it be titled "Vinegar" or poison.
 
You guys are cracking me up! The carboy was in a cooler with no evidence of leaking so I guess I have to face the facts, eh? It is maddening that someone would contaminate my wine this way :( Sulfite it is!

So, Wade, the white specks are from oxidation? I have never seen that before.... the wine taste and color is still ok.

Me thinks a security system is in the future :)
 
Hey Allie - thanks for asking! We did just fine during Tropical Storm Alex - just some strong winds and rain, but we got to practice our hurricane preparedness, so all is good :)
 
Not really oxidation, it is a slight infection due to too much 02 but can be resolved by both sulfiting and topping off so this doesnt happen again.
 
OK - I just racked everything and added sulfite (I had filtered out the white specks yesterday), so cross your fingers for me!

Thanks to all for your support and guidance :) XXOO
 
Think maybe whoever is smoochin your wine be eatin crackers or potatoe chips. When u catch em make it plain you siphon out not drink out of the bottle. LOL. Arne.
 
Listen to the other people. They know much more about this kinda thing than I do. You don't live too close to any of the outlaws on this site do you?? Havn't been on here too long, but most of em act like they wouldn't mind a little sip or two. Maybe three big sips for a gallon. Hope you figure out what be goin on, now will probably be my turn for them to pick on me. Take care, Arne.
 

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