Can this Wine Be saved?

[kentkennedy]

Hi, I'm new to the forums here. This looks like a great site and I hope this puzzle might be able to be solved.

I have a batch of wine that was about ready to be bottled but we may have left it sitting for a little too long.
It started growing this foam on the top level of the batch. It's also got some sort of pulp thing going on at the bottom.
I'm pretty sure there was not that much pulp in my batch when i poured that in.

If anyone can help me understand what's been going on inside this long sitting jar of wine?
Can it become drinkable too?

 

[Tom]

1st What is it?
2nd we need to see the recipe and what and when you did anything. and the temps

More info please

 

[Tom]

B T W
No way is this ready to bottle!

 

[grapeman]

Things growing in wine is never a good sign. If you have not added any potassium metabisulfate in form of k-meta powdeer or campdens, I think it is a gonner. I have a feeling it is a nasty form of acetobacter which gives vinegar. Not all vinegars are good and this is probably the worst looking batch I have ever seen. Sorry- not trying to discourage you, but I wouldn't drink it......................

 

[rob]

could this be caused by not adding sulfites

 

[Wade E]

Most likely due to too low of sulfites and why we recommend sulfite tests to make sure your hard work and money doesnt end up like this. I almost never say dump it but in this case I sure would, sorry! Sulfites are a must IMO!

 

[FishNiX]

I agree -- the sediment *could* be ok, but the layer on top looks like bateria to me. What's it smell like? Did you add sulfites? Post the recipe.

 

[Wade E]

The sediment n the bottom actually looks like the stuff on top and some fell out of suspension.

 

[kentkennedy]

I added the potassium metabisulfate a while ago. The campdens also were added some time ago.
The recipe is a basic formula that I followed. I've made wine successfully before but this is the first time I've seen the white top layer. After putting the sulfites in the wine I may have left it for a few months too many out.

The yeast was a chardonnay yeast. The wine doesn't have a vinegar smell. It smells fine, like wine.

The specific gravity was 1040 to start.

Some of the grapes I used were from a vine with some bad grapes on them. I threw away the bad ones. Those bad grapes had a white-ish powder on them. I am not sure if it is the same powder that's floating on the top.

One other thing is that where I was storing the wine is in my garage. The room runs about 75 to 80 degrees on a hot day. There is low light, but sometimes during noon the sun can be a bit bright.

I would like to know more about the acetobacteria. where does it come from and how can we avoid finding it in our wines?

 

[grapeman]

First off, the 1.040 is too low for a SG for wine to keep. You need about 9%ABV to keep safely. That is more like a beer alcohol. Beginning should run around 1.080 or higher. If it doesn't smell like vinegar it probably isn't acetobacter because that is what it forms. It is probably some other spoilage bacteria. How many months has it been out there? You say it probably was too many months without sulfite additions. How much of them did you add over time?

 

[Wade E]

Its probably a form of Brett. The low S02 levels + the low abv is a dble threat! Like Grapeman said above get the abv up or your wines wont last at all.

 

[Rock]

The big problem i can see is head space way too much. Also did you have an airlock on it?Rack this wine ASAP off all this crap,TASTE it, if still ok then top it off,and sulfite it.

 

[kentkennedy]

Hmm,
well the vat has had an air lock on it. As for the sulfates I should have had a stricter schedule for adding them, but they were in there before this happened. I think between when I last added the sulfates and now it has been over 6 months.
Thank you all for your input. This has been a good lesson on wine making for me.

 

[Runningwolf]

Kent we all learn from our mistakes and each others. Stick in there and stick around here. Glad to have you part of this forum.

 

[winemaker_3352]

Dan is absolutely right - we have all made mistakes and screwed up batches - some recoverable and others not.

Best thing to do is learn from mistakes and use that knowledge on your next batch.

 

[Oracus]

First off, the 1.040 is too low for a SG for wine to keep. You need about 9%ABV to keep safely. That is more like a beer alcohol. Beginning should run around 1.080 or higher. If it doesn't smell like vinegar it probably isn't acetobacter because that is what it forms. It is probably some other spoilage bacteria. How many months has it been out there? You say it probably was too many months without sulfite additions. How much of them did you add over time?

OK get ready for a beginner ?

Why is the starting SG or ABV too low for the wine? I know the higher start SG the higher the possible ABV.

 

[jnmar]

It takes a minimum of 10% ABV, some even say 11% or more ABV for the alcohol to be concentrated enough to provide the protection for the wine to keep for any length of time. With a starting SG of 1.080, if it ferments to dry at ~0.995 it will have 11.5% ABV. That's on the safe side of 11%

In this case, the juice started at 1.040 SG...that only enough sugar to give the wine about 6% alcohol by volume. Not nearly enough to protect the wine.

 

[Wade E]

Mist wines are actually lower the the 10% abv and Ive had them for around 3 years in the bottle. Beer will also have a much lower abv. Its mainly the head space that caused this problem as you can keep beer in carboys for some times also. You need to minimize the head space dramatically or keep up on sulfites!!! Also, ph and acid play a big role!!!!! If there was not enough acid in this batch then its just a breeding ground for bacteria right from the beginning. Remember that S02 levels and ph are directly related, If PH is high then most likely the TA (acid) is low and that just lets any micro organisms take hold and start multiplying.

 

[grapeman]

The experts consider about 8-9% alcohol is the minimum to prevent nasties from forming at will. The 1.040 is 5.4% ABV, well below that. If you want a shot at keeping it at that level, adequate sulfites are a must. Like Wade said, you need to adjust the free S02 to the pH level. You had a perfect storm here, and got the worst that could happen. I don't see a ton of headspace there myself- just a bit more than minimum. I think it is just the size of the picture that makes it look like that. By the way, is that a gallon jug or a 5,6 gallon carboy?

 

[Wade E]

I agee with Rich as there isnt a huge amount of space but enough considering the low sulfites and low abv to create what Rich has just nicknamed "The Perfect Storm" and that probably looks like the clouds would if it were in the sky. May I ask if the airlock also ran out of liquid during the 6 month span cause that would make it get way too much 02.