WineXpert Kit wine not clearing

[bein_bein]

Hi all.
I have a WineExpert Selection Special Series wine kit. It's the Sherry Kit. I chose the option to make it a cream sherry and followed all the kit instructions. SG readings were a little bit lower than the instructions but nothing drastic. I am to the point where I have added the stabilizer and clearing agent included in the kit and have waited 14 days. The wine has not gotten any clearer than it was on day 4 of the clearing process. I have followed the instructions completely, even where they say to NOT rack off the lees prior to stabilizing and clearing Quote" Selection Special kits require the sediment to be stirred back into suspension.Racking the wine off the sediment prior to fining may permanently prevent clearing" There has been no activity in my airlock so I feel the wine has been stabilized, but I am just concerned it's not clearing. Should I wait another 7 days then rack off the lees?? I have heard of cold-shocking a wine to aid in clearing....this would be the PERFECT time to do it as outside temps of 0-5 deg put my cellar at about 46deg. Would that be cold enough? Would that work on a kit wine?? Thanks guys!! I'm sure there's some info I forgot to give .....sorry

 

[cpfan]

b_b:

what temperature is it at right now?

My inclination is to be patient, but I have never made this particular kit (or line of kits).

Steve

 

[Wade E]

I have had problems with clearing a few W.E. kits especially the new peach ice wine. I now throw away the fining agent that comes with the W.E kits. If it dont clear by itself then use SuperKleer. I had to do that with this kit. I have tht Cream sherry in my cellar and it is very good!

 

[bein_bein]

cpfan , it's between 60 and 63deg. I have it in a small bathroom that maintains that temp. Plus I have a blanket and a heating pad wrapped around it. I will put the pad on low (shuts off after 1 hr) if the temps in the room get below 60, like late at night, or if I am making a middle of the night visit...

Do you guys think I should rack it off, then try wade's Superkleer idea after a week or so?? I also have some gelatin finings here I could try....

 

[cpfan]

WE says that their kits do not clear well at cool temperatures. That may be why you are having this problem.

Steve

 

[bein_bein]

I guess I didn't think I'd have a problem since I used the exact same setup last winter for my Blackberry Cab from WE and it worked out just fine. I guess I'll throw a little thermostat controlled space heater in there and see if that makes a difference. Thanks guys!

 

[Bailey]

My first WE kit was a Liebfraumilch and it did not clear from the kit. I used SuperKleer and now I could read a newspaper through the 5 Gal. Carboy.

I'll be bottling that one this weekend!

 

[Wade E]

I had my wine at a temp of 74 degrees for a few weeks past what they recommended before I racked off and added the SuperKleer, It as a bear to clear as even with the SuperKleer it took 2 1/2 weeks to clear and SuperKleer usually clears a wine in like 3 days even though you should let it sit for a few weeks to compact.

 

[Omerta]

Wade/Bailey: Is it a good idea to just use SuperKleer or stick with the kit components? How bad, if at all, does SuperKleer strip body?

 

[cpfan]

Personally I do not think that SuperKleer strips body or colour. I know that some winemakers think that every clearing agent strips body or colour.

FYI, Super Kleer or it's equivalent is included with most (all?) Spagnols kits.

Steve

 

[Wade E]

Ive taste tasted a couple of my wines side by side as I had a 6 gallon batches that after racking a few times went into a 5 gallon carboys and a 3 liter jugs or smaller and I never added any fining agents to the jugs and when they were ready to bottle tasted these side by side and didnt notice any difference and I have a pretty good sense of taste, maybe not the best but you get the idea. I think Isinglass is a little gentler but I have never noticed any true difference in any wines. It might make a difference in an extremely fragile wine like Pinot Grigio or something like that but have never done that side by side.

 

[Bailey]

Superkleer wasn't part of my kit. It did include Isenglass and Bentonite. Even after the kit-includedfining agents were used per the directions I still had a pretty cloudy batch. The Superkleer was recommended at one of the local shops. It worked wonderfully. As for taste - I don't know but no one would've wanted to taste the cloudy stuff at all.

 

[Omerta]

Thanks I'll make sure to have some SuperKleer around just in case.

 

[bein_bein]

UPDATE...
I had contacted WE and explained the situation...Wine was clearing then stopped after 3 days. Their solution was to send another pack of Chitosan with instructions to add half and stir thoroughly with sediment and all. Got that on Saturday and stirred it in at about 6pm. By 8 all sediment had dropped and wine was loosing it's cloudy haze...cool..
Checked it again on Sunday (about 10 times... ) and it was getting a little clearer. Got up this morning (7am) and checked and it's all cloudy again
Temp in the room has stayed constant 69-72 deg. WE says "The wine will clear best at 74 d F." Can 2-4 degs. make THAT big of a difference?? I am thinking it's time to rack off the sediment and just let it sit with the rest of mine wine in the basement (about 55 deg.) and bulk age it till it clears...any thoughts on that idea??
ps. I 'm not sure I want to add any more chemicals as this is only a 3 gal batch and I don't want to start imparting and off-flavors from clearing agents. (I tasted the chitosan NASTY stuff "blech!")

 

[Wade E]

Sorry to hear this andd have had it happen to me a few times and thats why I just throw out the included fining agent and use SuperKleer or just let time do its thing.

 

[cpfan]

Wade:

Some of the kits that have not cleared for me came with Super Kleer as the clearing agent.

I also had a couple of Vineco ice wines not clear up. Giving them a second dose of the included clearing agent (Isinglass) always worked.

Steve

 

[Wade E]

HUH, Ive never had SuperKleer fail me yet but have had the W.E. (Chitine I believe which I guess is Chitosan) fail me 3 times now and one was very recent with the Peach Ice wine as I didnt have any SuperKleer so braved it and went the W.E. way. I emailed Linda@ W.E. and they said they are contemplating going another route as they have been getting lots of emails concering this even in warm temps. They didnt specify what they would use if they change though. They sent me another pouch of the Chitine. just looked it up, it is French word for Chitosan.