Clearing a cabernet sauvignon

[jakromm]

Hi guys, I'm working on my first wine and it's a cabernet sauvignon. I picked up some juice from a local vineyard so I'm not following any kit. I have stablized the wine and fermentation is definitely completed.

I have been reading through these forums and I see a lot of people talking about SuperKleer as their go to clearing agent. I also hear people saying you should be able to read a news paper through the carboy. Do these statements not apply to wines like cabernet and pinot noir? It seems like using SuperKleer and being able to read a news paper through your carboy would basically strip away everything that makes those wines great?

I do however want to clean up the wine, and I am debating between these 2 approaches and was hoping someone could help me figure out which is best.

1.) Continue to let it sit in carboy and just rack it every 2 weeks, this is a more natural route and would cause the least harm to my wine, but at the same time I'm worried it won't get clear enough and some offensive particles/haze may remain.

2.) Use a bit of bentonite that I already have, I am certain this would do a good job clearing it up, but I'm also afraid it will do TO good of a job clearing it up if you know what I mean.

Can someone with experience in this type of wine give me some advice.

Thanks

 

[JohnT]

I would be patient. The settling process takes time. Give it a couple of months, rack when needed, and I am sure that the wine will clear up. If, after sveral months, the wine still seems cloudy, then go ahead an use a fining agent.

How much wine did you make?

Note: I would not rack every two weeks. Each time you rack, you just stir up the wine. After the first two rackings, let her sit for a couple of months, then rack if needed.

 

[jakromm]

I would be patient. The settling process takes time. Give it a couple of months, rack when needed, and I am sure that the wine will clear up. If, after sveral months, the wine still seems cloudy, then go ahead an use a fining agent.

How much wine did you make?

6 gallons. Also is it bad to rack to your fermentation bucket then right back into carboy after cleaning? I don't have a 2nd carboy to rack to. I am not sure if the extra air exposure will cause problems when racking it to fermentation bucket.

 

[JohnT]

6 gallons. Also is it bad to rack to your fermentation bucket then right back into carboy after cleaning? I don't have a 2nd carboy to rack to. I am not sure if the extra air exposure will cause problems when racking it to fermentation bucket.

Airating the wine when you rack can be very beneficial, however..

1) IMO, racking every two weeks is excessive. Normally, I will rack my wine after the first week, Then after another two weeks, then after another month, then after several months.

2) Each time I rack, I do a "splash racking" to allow some of the more "icky" gasses to escape. Going from Carboy to bucket, then back again should be OK. Just make sure that the carboy is clean before you fill it. Also make sure that the bucket has been sanitized.

3) Too much of this airation, though, could result in oxidizing your wine (wine will develop a dis-tasteful "fruity" taste).


Remember, each time you rack your wine, you are stirring it. I do not think that two weeks is long enough time for the wine to clear. Be patient..