Gritty Wine

[analog_kidd]

I'm making a Wine Experts Pinot Noir kit, and I did the first racking this weekend. This kit came with the oak sawdust, and this racking is supposed to get it off that and the gross lees.

I don't have a second free carboy, so I just racked it into the primary, then racked again back into the carboy (after cleaning out the gunk). While it was in the primary, I took a sample to see how it tastes. It tastes good, but the wine was gritty. It was really fine, whatever it was, not course like the oak dust. When I poured the sample into the glass for tasting, it left a trail of sludge in the glass.

What is also strange, is that after I transferred it back into the carboy, I went back and looked at it again after a couple of hours, and I could see a bunch of sediment formed in the bottom of the carboy. I'm sure it's this stuff, but why didn't it get racked out the first time?

I'm using an Auto-Siphon and the rack cane has one of those tips on it to keep the end from sucking in the lees. I start the siphon from the top of the carboy then drop it down once the siphon gets going.

The instructions say to let it sit for 14 more days, plus an additional 7 more if not clear. They also said it should be pretty clear right now, but it was not, probably because of all the gunk in there.

I'm thinking that in 14 days, I may transfer it again and then take it to my LHBS to have them run it through their filter.

any idea what this is, and if it will clear?

 

[Ernest T Bass]

Could it be suspended finning agent?
Semper Fi

 

[analog_kidd]

The fining agent was the clear liquid (isinglass maybe), not sparkelloid. Although the fineness of the grit reminds me of sparkelloid.

 

[Julie]

During your rackings arer you sure you are not transferring sludge? Sounds like you maybe doing this

 

[Deezil]

My money's on the idea that you had a bunch of dissolved co2 ..

When you racked to the primary, i bet a bunch of that got a chance to escape, & i'd bet that the actually racking from carboy to primary bucket wasnt entirely gentle....

When you get the co2 out of the way, the fine particles finally have a chance to settle out of suspension & the outcome sounds like what you're describing..

Ive had it happen to me

 

[Wiz]

I agree with Deezil.

 

[analog_kidd]

Hmmm, I wonder if the CO2 is the problem. The instructions said to give it a good degassing after transferring from the primary to the secondary, which I did about 10 days ago. They said to mix up the lees and degas in the secondary. I thought I got it pretty well degassed, but who knows.

I think when I rack it again in a couple of weeks I'll take extra care to avoid the sediment, and try to see if it needs any more degassing.

 

[seth8530]

The key to wine making is patience patience patience.. PPP. I would stay the course if I was you and rack again once the wine is all nice and clear.

 

[pgottshall]

I've had the same problem by trying to get every last drop when racking. Depending on the size of your hose, there can be quite a bit of suction, pulling in more of the bottom gunk than you think. The best solution I've found is to lean the carboy at an angle, leave for 30min or so to let stuff settle, and leave the last few cups behind. Seems like a sin to waste wine, I know, but the result will be much better, and the gritty taste will be gone.

I have a "Auto-Siphon and the rack cane has one of those tips on it to keep the end from sucking in the lees" too, but it only keeps about an inch off the bottom, and all the loose stuff gets sucked right in.

Just my thoughts.....

 

[Deezil]

The best solution I've found is to lean the carboy at an angle, leave for 30min or so to let stuff settle, and leave the last few cups behind. Seems like a sin to waste wine, I know, but the result will be much better, and the gritty taste will be gone.

I skip the tilting, although i know it works for some people - and i just opt to leave the last ~1L behind... I keep 1.5L bottles just for this purpose. I pour all the gunk and all into the 1.5L (minus the sludge you'd have to wait for, to drizzle out of the carboy).. I give it a few days - week to settle & pour it into the rest of the wine when secondary is over...

I dont really stress over the 1-2 pours, of a small fraction of the wine (although i imagine i would with a delicate white) because its always before i've degassed so most of its protected by the output of co2 - no time to take in oxygen

 

[pgottshall]

Great new idea Deezil! The "trail of sludge" is a pretty stong indication...

I just got an idea for a new carboy design. I'll sketch something up and post it.

Thanks!