WineXpert clearing...leave sit or try bentonite?

[PittGrad]

Brand new to the forum (and to the hobby!) So first question coming about midway into first kit.

Have a WE Eclipse Lodi 11 cab sav going. During stabilizing/clarifying I degassed for about 25 mins with drill/whip (way more than the recommended total of 4 mins the kit called for) and even while temp was around 75F, clearly wasn't completely degassed as next day still decent amount of carbonization present.

I've whipped it again few days after the first time and seems fully degassed now but has continued to be cloudy I suspect because I added clarifiers before fully degassing.

Finally my question---should I just let clear over time now, or should I attempt to reclarify with bentonite or something similar?

 

[HillPeople]

Let it be- let it be. Time is your friend.

 

[cpfan]

Pittgrad:

What is the temperature of the wine? Cool temperatures inhibit degassing.

I assume that you added the bentonite that came with the kit at the beginning. As I understand it, a second dose of bentonite has little value.

Steve

 

[GaDawg]

Steve, he said the temp was about 75.

 

[shoebiedoo]

I agree with Steve. Time is your friend. I wouldn't do anything for at least a month.

 

[PittGrad]

Yes it was 75 at initial degassing. Just want to make sure I didn't do anything irreparable with the first misstep of adding clarifier before fully degassed. Seems I just need to let time do its thing. Thanks for input!

 

[sour_grapes]

Just to reassure you, it is a very common observation that the degassing times in kit instructions are laughably inadequate. Most people here either use a vacuum pump or age the wine for an extended time before bottling to let it degas thoroughly.

 

[jumby]

I just finished this kit and I'm going to let it sit in the carboy for 6 months before bottling. I shoot for 6 months in the carboy before bottling with all my kits.

 

[GaDawg]

Pitt, you started off with one of the best kits, IMHO. But it also takes the most time to enjoy. It will be great after you age it 18 to 24 mo. The problem is what tow drink while you are being patient? Maybe next time you may consider an early drinker then alternate until you get your wine cellar stocked.

 

[PittGrad]

GaDawg, made the decision after seeing nothing but consistently great reviews but to your point it might take a while before I can provide my own!

I am completely sucked into this hobby though and after few discussions with brother-in-law he's in on the deep end too! Between the two of us we've now got 4 kits in various stages so if we can get thru next 18ish months we should be set up pretty nicely .

 

[richmke]

During stabilizing/clarifying I degassed for about 25 mins with drill/whip

Don't confuse "foam" with "degassing". The wine will foam, even if it is degassed.

When you degass for that long, I would be concerned about introducing O2 into the wine. So, make sure that you are alternating direction so that no surface turbulence is formed.

For reds, I have stopped mechanical degassing and clarifying. I bulk age them in a carboy for 9+ months, and that takes care of the problem.