After filtering and bottling, still getting sediment??

[Chillywack]

I am trying to aim for consistency in my wines. Recently bottled Pinot Gigio and Sauvignon Blanc made from juice from Chili. Bulk aged about 1 year, racked 3 times after fermentation. Then right before bottling I filtered with a Vinbrite Premium filter. After about a month, I am noticing a sediment in the bottle which isn't making sense to me. I did the same thing with a Chardonnay and Gewurztraminer 6 month prior and no sediment. The Sediment isn't the tartrite crystals as I have them in other batches. Just can't figure out why I still have a little sediment still in the bottle after filtering. Any ideas? It is like a hazy very small sediment(have to hold the bottle up to the light to really notice it). Could this be K-Meta falling out? I add a 1/2 teaspoon per 5 gal prior to bottling based on instructions I have from suppliers. Thanks.

 

[Johnd]

I am trying to aim for consistency in my wines. Recently bottled Pinot Gigio and Sauvignon Blanc made from juice from Chili. Bulk aged about 1 year, racked 3 times after fermentation. Then right before bottling I filtered with a Vinbrite Premium filter. After about a month, I am noticing a sediment in the bottle which isn't making sense to me. I did the same thing with a Chardonnay and Gewurztraminer 6 month prior and no sediment. The Sediment isn't the tartrite crystals as I have them in other batches. Just can't figure out why I still have a little sediment still in the bottle after filtering. Any ideas? It is like a hazy very small sediment(have to hold the bottle up to the light to really notice it). Could this be K-Meta falling out? I add a 1/2 teaspoon per 5 gal prior to bottling based on instructions I have from suppliers. Thanks.

Are the storage conditions (particularly, the temps) of the bottled wine any different than the the bulk storage conditions?

 

[Chillywack]

Are the storage conditions (particularly, the temps) of the bottled wine any different than the the bulk storage conditions?

Now that you mention it. Yes. Bulk aging is probably was a cooler. My basement seems to warm up a little in summer where I store the bottles vs where I bulk aged. Temp control is one factor that I have been challenged keeping consistent.

 

[Johnd]

Now that you mention it. Yes. Bulk aging is probably was a cooler. My basement seems to warm up a little in summer where I store the bottles vs where I bulk aged. Temp control is one factor that I have been challenged keeping consistent.

Well, that’s the opposite of what I was suspecting. Many times wine gets stored in bulk at room temps, but goes into a cellar or fridge, and you can get some additional fallout from that situation. This is normally combatted by cold stabilizing the wine, which also eliminates “wine diamond” formation.

So, looking now at the heat side, which is normally caused by proteins, did you use any bentonite in your fermentingor post fermenting activities?

Here’s a good piece of reading from MoreWine: Heat Stability in White Wine | MoreWine

Think this might be your issue?

 

[Chillywack]

John, thank you.

That article is very interesting and I may need to add some bentonite to the juice in the beginning. I don't add anything but yeast and yeast nutrient at the beginning. then 1/4 tsp k-meta at each racking and 1/2 tsp k-meta at bottling. I am only in my 3rd year of making wine and this is about my 5th batch from juice from Chile but 2nd and 3rd white from Chile that had this issue(had to go look at my notebook). The wine tastes great to me but if I can get rid of the sediment(definitely not the "wine diamond" issue as I had those in a red once my storage area got cold in the winter after bottling).

Thank you for setting me on the correct path to remedy!!

Cheers,
Steve

 

[Johnd]

John, thank you.

That article is very interesting and I may need to add some bentonite to the juice in the beginning. I don't add anything but yeast and yeast nutrient at the beginning. then 1/4 tsp k-meta at each racking and 1/2 tsp k-meta at bottling. I am only in my 3rd year of making wine and this is about my 5th batch from juice from Chile but 2nd and 3rd white from Chile that had this issue(had to go look at my notebook). The wine tastes great to me but if I can get rid of the sediment(definitely not the "wine diamond" issue as I had those in a red once my storage area got cold in the winter after bottling).

Thank you for setting me on the correct path to remedy!!

Cheers,
Steve

You’re quite welcome, and good luck!!

 

[user 36973]

Then right before bottling I filtered with a Vinbrite Premium filter

Do you know the specs on your filter pads? There are different grades and even the fine grade can allow some yeast to make it through. Following the fine filtering with a sterile grade is sufficient enough to remove all the yeast. (I still rely on sorbate in addition to sterile filtering)

 

[DizzyIzzy]

John, thank you.

That article is very interesting and I may need to add some bentonite to the juice in the beginning. I don't add anything but yeast and yeast nutrient at the beginning. then 1/4 tsp k-meta at each racking and 1/2 tsp k-meta at bottling. I am only in my 3rd year of making wine and this is about my 5th batch from juice from Chile but 2nd and 3rd white from Chile that had this issue(had to go look at my notebook). The wine tastes great to me but if I can get rid of the sediment(definitely not the "wine diamond" issue as I had those in a red once my storage area got cold in the winter after bottling).

Thank you for setting me on the correct path to remedy!!

Cheers,
Steve

Are those K-meta values per 5 gallon?..................................Dizzy

 

[DizzyIzzy]

Well, that’s the opposite of what I was suspecting. Many times wine gets stored in bulk at room temps, but goes into a cellar or fridge, and you can get some additional fallout from that situation. This is normally combatted by cold stabilizing the wine, which also eliminates “wine diamond” formation.

So, looking now at the heat side, which is normally caused by proteins, did you use any bentonite in your fermentingor post fermenting activities?

Here’s a good piece of reading from MoreWine: Heat Stability in White Wine | MoreWine

Think this might be your issue?

Another great, informative piece to add to my WMT binder (sure is getting full)......................Dizzy