Clear when testing, Cloudy when Bottling?

[BobPHL]

Hey guys - I had a kit wine on extended maceration in a carboy for about 4.5 months (Lodi Cab). S.G. was good at .992. I decided to bottle b/c I was nervous about too much "head room" between the stopper and the wine (a few inches) and didn't want to risk it (and didn't want to taint my batch with another wine

Anyways, when I opened it and tested it today with the wine thief into a glass - it looked beautifully clear. However when bottling - perhaps b/c my cane picked up some sediment from the bottom? - the wine in my bottles when put to the light now looks a bit cloudy? Should I have racked it off the sediment to another carboy before bottling?

What should I do now? Should I pour everything back into a carboy and let it sit for a few more weeks then re-rack it again and bottle? Any thoughts?

 

[sour_grapes]

Should I have racked it off the sediment to another carboy before bottling?

That is what I do. And from there, I rack to a bottling bucket, giving another opportunity to limit the sediment.

What should I do now? Should I pour everything back into a carboy and let it sit for a few more weeks then re-rack it again and bottle? Any thoughts?

Well, there is a tradeoff. You could just let it settle in the bottles, and then carefully decant when you open the wine. Or you could do the extra work and rebottle. Dealer's choice, I am afraid!

 

[BobPHL]

^Thanks. It's just a bummer. My wine looked beautiful when testing it in the glass...so not really sure how I could have known not to bottle - other than being too new at this! Definitely a learning experience...