Rhubarb wine debris

[Vino Ventures]

Rhubarb wine
Started 8/25/22, used 71B yeast with a slow ferment after one week. I had read the yeast could be difficult, and so decided to add 1118 yeast and transferred to carboy after fermentation. 9/16/22 white mold or yeast? at the top of the carboy (no picture). wiped it clean, sanitized area, and treated with Camden. It cleared with no further evidence of the stuff. Wine was clear and tasted good , so back sweetened, sorbate added. SG 0.992
11/6/22 kmeta added and bottled. Three weeks later, I tried a bottle, and it had sediment, as shown in pictures. I strained it, and it tasted good. Now wondering if I should empty out all the bottles and retreat with kmeta. I took pictures today of how it looks in the bottle. The bottles are stored on their side, so you can see the sediment line. The wine was not crystal clear when I bottled it, beginner impatience. should I empty all the bottles and retreat with kmeta?

 

[Jovimaple]

If it was not crystal clear when you bottled it, it will continue to drop sediment after bottling. I had the same impatience problem with my first wines, and sometimes even when they look clear, they can still drop sediment.

You can either:
A) put it back into a carboy and yes, add a dose of kmeta (per package instructions) or crushed campden tablets (usually 1 campden tablet per gallon, but again, go by package instructions). Let it sit for 3 to 6 months under airlock, keeping it topped off and adding kmeta/campden every 3 months. Then when it's clear, rack to either another carboy or your fermenting bucket (sanitized, of course) while leaving the lees behind, mix in a final dose of kmeta/campden, and bottle from there.

Or

B) you can leave it as is and pour carefully or strain it when you serve it.

The sediment is mostly dead yeast. Time will usually take care of it eventually. You can speed up the clearing by using clearing agents such as Superkleer/Dual Fine (Kieselsol & Chitosan). I have read that they sometimes strip color and flavor but I have used them in kit wines as well as Skeeter Pee/Dragonblood wines with no issues. Pectic enzyme can also be used to clear pectin haze. I end up using this every time I make Skeeter Pee, when the K&C don't quite finish the job but I don't want to wait months for it to clear on its own. Some people use bentonite but I have only used this pre-ferment, never to clear the wine as it ages.

Potassium metabisulfite (K-meta) is used in powdered or tablet (campden tablets) form to kill unwanted yeast and other microorganisms as well as to protect the wine against oxidation. For fruit wines, I dose the must to kill off yucky things, then wait 18 to 24 hours and stir the must to get oxygen into it for yeast I then pitch.

When the fermentation is complete, I dose with kmeta again, usually when I rack it off the gross lees. After that, I dose every 3 months whether I rack it or not, and I dose it when I rack it off the lees at bottling time. I leave quite a bit of wine in the carboy at this racking, to make sure I don't get any sediment into the bottles. But I usually end up putting the leftovers into a bottle or a jar and putting it in the fridge to let it separate again. Then hubby and I sample the leftovers- I just pour it carefully and don't worry if I get a little sediment in the glass. At least it's not wasted wine!

 

[Vino Ventures]

If it was not crystal clear when you bottled it, it will continue to drop sediment after bottling. I had the same impatience problem with my first wines, and sometimes even when they look clear, they can still drip sediment.

You can either:
A) put it back into a carboy and yes, add a dose of kmeta (per package instructions) or crushed campden tablets (usually 1 campden tablet per gallon, but again, go by package instructions). Let it sit for 3 to 6 months under airlock, keeping it topped off and adding kmeta/campden every 3 months. Then when it's clear, rack to either another carboy or your fermenting bucket (sanitized, of course) while leaving the lees behind, mix in a final dose of kmeta/campden, and bottle from there.

Or

B) you can leave it as is and pour carefully or strain it when you serve it.

The sediment is mostly dead yeast. Time will usually take care of it eventually. You can speed up the clearing by using clearing agents such as Superkleer/Dual Fine (Kieselsol & Chitosan). I have read that they sometimes strip color and flavor but I have used them in kit wines as well as Skeeter Pee/Dragonblood wines with no issues. Pectic enzyme can also be used to clear pectin haze. I end up using this every time I make Skeeter Pee, when the K&C don't quite finish the job but I don't want to wait months for it to clear on its own. Some people use bentonite but I have only used this pre-ferment, never to clear the wine as it ages.

Potassium metabisulfite (K-meta) is used in powdered or tablet (campden tablets) form to kill unwanted yeast and other microorganisms as well as to protect the wine against oxidation. For fruit wines, I dose the must to kill off yucky things, then wait 18 to 24 hours and stir the must to get oxygen into it for yeast I then pitch.

When the fermentation is complete, I dose with kmeta again, usually when I rack it off the gross lees. After that, I dose every 3 months whether I rack it or not, and I dose it when I rack it off the lees at bottling time. I leave quite a bit of wine in the carboy at this racking, to make sure I don't get any sediment into the bottles. But I usually end up putting the leftovers into a bottle or a jar and putting it in the fridge to let it separate again. Then hubby and I sample the leftovers- I just pour it carefully and don't worry if I get a little sediment in the glass. At least it's not wasted wine!

Thank you for your response. I was worried that I needed to call it a loss and throw it out.

 

[ChuckD]

It is most definitely not a loss. Just use it as-is and be more patient & careful racking next time.

I have this same thing in some of
My early apple wines. I open them then mix them up good before serving.

 

[hounddawg]

extended bulk aging, both clears your wine and allows your wine to blend=mature,,,
k-meta to stop oxidation , potassium sorbate is to stop refermentation, unless you add more sweetness sorbate is usually a one time deal, K-meta is every 3 months until bottled for good.
sorbate and potassium metabisulfite also call K-meta, and yep every time you move wine from one vessel to another you need to add K-meta every 3 months, but all ends once bottled,
Dawg

 

[Rice_Guy]

I agree with @Jovimaple that it probably is yeast. I would not do any more manipulation than necessary since wine can oxidize and ever racking exposes the wine to more air.
My standard is to wait nine to twelve months and then assume the yeast have starved and skip sorbate.
I have done what you have with a rhubarb contest wine and since then filtered with a Buon Vino #3 pad.

 

[Khristyjeff]

Great answers here. I would only add to the list of clearing agents . . .

@GreginND makes Rhubarb wine commercially and has suggested on this forum that he has the best luck with Gelatin Finings. I waited just over 5 months to bottle my rhubarb wine thinking it looked pretty clear. And though it hasn't dropped sediment in the bottles at all, I will definitely try the gelatin finings next time. @Rice_Guy suggestion of #3 pad I'll bet really makes it sparkle!