Protein Flocculation in White Wine

[NoSnob]

I made & bottled a WE SE Columbia Valley Riesling kit a year ago; most of it is gone. It was very good. In two of the remaining bottles I see a white cottony particulate matter that rises from the bottom when the bottle is picked up. It is very different from tartrate crystals, which are glass-like crystals in appearance. Otherwise, the wine is very clear and bright though unfiltered.

From what I read it may be protein flocculation, caused sometimes by high or irregular temperatures, but in this batch this has occurred only in these two bottles. The entire batch has been stored at room temperature (72-77F). I have not yet opened either bottle so I don't know if it is accompanied by any off-flavors or odors.

Is it possible that this indicates a sanitation problem? I am very rigorous in cleaning everything that touches juice and wine with B-Brite and sanitizing with Iodophor (no rinsing). In ten or so kits I have had no other problems implicating sanitation.

Assuming no off-odors or flavors, is this wine drinkable? Should I pour these bottles through a paper coffee filter to remove the particulates? Any other suggestions in handling this flocculation? Thanks

NS

 

[Arne]

I would say you are down to the smell and taste deal. If it smell bad or tastes bad, time to pitch it. On the other hand if everything is fine, you can drink it. Either pour it from the sediment or filter it if you like. Arne.

 

[shoebiedoo]

did you filter the wine? It could be that these were the last 2 bottles filled. So you're just seeing what was at the bottom of the carboy.

 

[robie]

I would contact WineXpert and ask them directly. This doesn't sound right for a kit to have something like this.

 

[Fly*guy]

I agree with Robie, I would contact WE and see what they say.
Understand that white wines are very tough to get completely free of sediment, after a year in the bottle it would not be unheard of to see small amounts of sediment on the side of the bottle that was facing down (assuming that it was on its side and not upright).
Temps that you say that you hold it at raise some concern as well as they should be in the low sixties, (best case), when cellared.
But, when you say 'cottony particulate' ..... that does not sound like sediment at all. Sediment would be in the degree of a very small and very light, fine 'dust' just laying on the side or bottom.

And, your Riesling should keep for at least 2 to3 years (if fermented completely dry) given a good constant temp . I even have a few bottles of semi dry Riesling that are 4 years old and I last opened one about 2 months ago and it was fine, albeit past prime.

 

[NoSnob]

Thanks for all your thoughtful comments & suggestions. I will contact WinExpert and let you know what they say. Meanwhile, I do not plan to open these bottles since I may want to photograph them for WE or this board. I will resurrect this thread and update you.
NS

 

[NoSnob]

Update on Flocculation

This is an update of my thread two months ago about finding flocculation in three of my bottles of WineXpert SE Gewurtztraminer. I said I would provide an indication of what WineXpert said about the situation.

WineXpert was very prompt in responding to my e-mail (but they never responded to the WineXpert e-mail address for Tim given by Alison Crowe in the Winemaker Magazine). Their customer service rep said their best guess was that it was in all likelyhood related to sanitation. Needless to say, I would just as soon not concede that.

They indicated that K-Meta or Na-Meta were more commonly used sanitizers in winemaking than the iodine solution I used. They noted that beermakers use iodine-based sanitizers but it has its limitations (staining & higher cost). My LHBS makes a lot of beer and seems to think that iodine is better for winemaking sanitizing than K-Meta.

I am re-thinking my continued use of iodine-based sanitizer even though these few splits were the only bottles I've had trouble with in eight or so 6 gal batches.

NS

 

[cpfan]

This is an update of my thread two months ago about finding flocculation in three of my bottles of WineXpert SE Gewurtztraminer. I said I would provide an indication of what WineXpert said about the situation.

WineXpert was very prompt in responding to my e-mail (but they never responded to the WineXpert e-mail address for Tim given by Alison Crowe in the Winemaker Magazine). Their customer service rep said their best guess was that it was in all likelyhood related to sanitation. Needless to say, I would just as soon not concede that.

They indicated that K-Meta or Na-Meta were more commonly used sanitizers in winemaking than the iodine solution I used. They noted that beermakers use iodine-based sanitizers but it has its limitations (staining & higher cost). My LHBS makes a lot of beer and seems to think that iodine is better for winemaking sanitizing than K-Meta.

I am re-thinking my continued use of iodine-based sanitizer even though these few splits were the only bottles I've had trouble with in eight or so 6 gal batches.

NS

I've used iodophor as my sanitizer in way more than 8 wine kits, especially as I used it when I ran a Ferment on Premise. I haven't seen this problem from using iodophor.

Steve

 

[Julie]

While I don't do kits, I sanitize with iodophor and I have never had a problem.

 

[FTC Wines]

I'll move this thread to fruit wines also. I make a lot of Peach Wine, 15-20 gals. a yr. for the last 5 yrs. There seems to always be a few, say 5-6 bottles out of 75 that have these "cottony floaties" in them. I hadn't heard of protein flocculation before, but it could be the problem. My sanitation is tops, using K-meta for everything, & double sanitizing the bottles [before storage & again at bottling time] The "floaties" seem to appear after while, say 3-9 mo. in the bottle, this is after 1 yr. in the carboy. I don't get this with my Apple Wine or kits. Any thoughts? Roy

 

[NoSnob]

While I don't do kits, I sanitize with iodophor and I have never had a problem.

Julie we all have our routines & tend to stick with them. My excuse as a relative new winemaker is that I began with iodine because my LHBS recommended it to me when I was a beginner. I would be interested in knowing why you stay with iodine when so many winemakers use K-Meta. Thanks
NS

 

[cpfan]

Julie we all have our routines & tend to stick with them. My excuse as a relative new winemaker is that I began with iodine because my LHBS recommended it to me when I was a beginner. I would be interested in knowing why you stay with iodine when so many winemakers use K-Meta. Thanks
NS

Two reasons....

1) I also make beer, so I use the same sanitizer for both. K-meta is NOT strong enough for beer.

2) K-meta STINKS!!!! A little more seriously, the annoying K-meta fumes annoy my throat causing me to cough & sputter & whatever else (hey it's been over ten years since I used k-meta as a sanitizer). Things I don't want to be doing when I make wine.

Steve

 

[Julie]

Julie we all have our routines & tend to stick with them. My excuse as a relative new winemaker is that I began with iodine because my LHBS recommended it to me when I was a beginner. I would be interested in knowing why you stay with iodine when so many winemakers use K-Meta. Thanks
NS

LOL, my answer is very simple. It's cpfan's #2. Actually #1 as well. My husband makes beer and like cpfan says you need to use iodine.

And I have never had an issue with sanitizing using iodine.

 

[NoSnob]

Steve & Julie,
Thanks for your coments.
I note in this month's Winemaker magazine that iodine based sanitizer is given a score of D for its ability to sanitize "soft glass carboys". I'm not sure what a soft glass carboy is. Do you both use Five-Star Io? Is that the same as what is called Star San? And do you occasionally strengthen (darken) the solution by adding more when sanitizing big batches of bottles?
NS