Hello everyone. A while back I joined this forum because my dad passed and had a carboy of wine that was never finished, well I finally got around to it. I stabilized it and I am waiting for it to clear, I am a little impatient so the guy at the wine store told me to use some super clear (I think that is what it was called).
Anyhow, I have talked to a few people around here that make wine and I just keep getting "I don't know" type answers, now I am afraid I have ruined the wine. Even the guy at the wine supply place wasn't much help. sigh.
So here is a quick recap of what is going on with this wine. First, the mysterious wine (which we are now calling merlot after several testings) was passed on to me upon my dad's passing on mothersday. I put off doing anything with it until the last 2 weeks (aside from getting as many people as I could to test it for me to see if anyone could figure out what it was, we all decided very good merlot). This past weekend I noticed that it wasn't clear like it use to be, I called the wine shop, they said it was no big deal "clearness is just if I am worried about the wine being pretty", so I proceeded with stabilizing it. Now I have noticed 2 things about the wine, not only is it no longer clear, but it doesn't taste the same and it basically has very little smell. Off I went to another wine shop because I really didn't feel like the guy at the other wine place helped me at all, he told me to try the super clear, I explained all this to him and he was just like, "hm, I don't know", sigh again!.
So it has been 2 days since I put in the super clear and nothing has happened, from what I have read it should have done something by now.
So here are my concerns if there is anyone out there with any idea of what I should do now.
1) Did I ruin it somewhere along the line, I specifically asked the first wine shop guy if it was ok sitting for a few months and he said yes, I guess I am worried that killed it.
2) If all is ok with the wine, what are the causes for the sudden darkness? Is this something that happens?
And 3) I found what I believe to be my dad's recipe he was using, and was following that, and there was nothing in the instructions about degassing.... is this just part of stabilizing or did I totally miss a step? And is there any easy way to tell if it is stabilized aside from bottling and waiting for fireworks?
Thanks everyone.
Oh yea, I have all 8 of my dad's carboys now and I have decided to continue making wine in his honor (I really should look for a good "wine making for dummies" book) I am looking for some good recipes, I have read about honey wine that sounds good, and I am hoping to find a good wine I can make that would maybe be ready by Christmas? And did I really read about someone making chocolate merlot?
Anyhow, I have talked to a few people around here that make wine and I just keep getting "I don't know" type answers, now I am afraid I have ruined the wine. Even the guy at the wine supply place wasn't much help. sigh.
So here is a quick recap of what is going on with this wine. First, the mysterious wine (which we are now calling merlot after several testings) was passed on to me upon my dad's passing on mothersday. I put off doing anything with it until the last 2 weeks (aside from getting as many people as I could to test it for me to see if anyone could figure out what it was, we all decided very good merlot). This past weekend I noticed that it wasn't clear like it use to be, I called the wine shop, they said it was no big deal "clearness is just if I am worried about the wine being pretty", so I proceeded with stabilizing it. Now I have noticed 2 things about the wine, not only is it no longer clear, but it doesn't taste the same and it basically has very little smell. Off I went to another wine shop because I really didn't feel like the guy at the other wine place helped me at all, he told me to try the super clear, I explained all this to him and he was just like, "hm, I don't know", sigh again!.
So it has been 2 days since I put in the super clear and nothing has happened, from what I have read it should have done something by now.
So here are my concerns if there is anyone out there with any idea of what I should do now.
1) Did I ruin it somewhere along the line, I specifically asked the first wine shop guy if it was ok sitting for a few months and he said yes, I guess I am worried that killed it.
2) If all is ok with the wine, what are the causes for the sudden darkness? Is this something that happens?
And 3) I found what I believe to be my dad's recipe he was using, and was following that, and there was nothing in the instructions about degassing.... is this just part of stabilizing or did I totally miss a step? And is there any easy way to tell if it is stabilized aside from bottling and waiting for fireworks?
Thanks everyone.
Oh yea, I have all 8 of my dad's carboys now and I have decided to continue making wine in his honor (I really should look for a good "wine making for dummies" book) I am looking for some good recipes, I have read about honey wine that sounds good, and I am hoping to find a good wine I can make that would maybe be ready by Christmas? And did I really read about someone making chocolate merlot?