Should I dump my wine? Wispy white sediment in wine bottle

[ryan850]

I made my first batch of wine in February. An apple cider wine. I've been drinking it and I thought it was fine. I poured a glass the other day and didn't finish the last sip. The next morning I was taking the glass to the kitchen and, don't know why, but I drank it. I think it's just a habit when there is a wine glass in my hand... anyway, it tasted spoiled... I spit it out.

So, a few days later I grabbed a bottle to give to a friend and noticed a wispy white sediment, almost smoke-like, in the bottle.

My questions are, should I dump all of this out, do you know what it is, and any thoughts as to where I went wrong? I felt like I cleaned the bottles and all my equipment way more than I really needed to.

 

[Wade E]

Ive heard of this happening from Grapeman I believe. I think he said it is due to the K-Sorbate not being dissolved properly but if it is an infection it is most likely due to not enough sulfite. Do you have a S02 test kit? They are cheap and could resolve problems like this in the future if it is an infection.

 

[winemaker_3352]

Not 100% sure - and i am sure a few others will chime in - but it almost sounds like you bottled too soon. There is still some settling going on.

Does it have a off smell or flavor?

 

[Green Mountains]

The fact that it was the next morning that you tasted the off flavor could simply be that it sat out overnight. I'd pop another bottle and give it a good tasting.

 

[ryan850]

The fact that it was the next morning that you tasted the off flavor could simply be that it sat out overnight. I'd pop another bottle and give it a good tasting.

Should it go bad that fast? I was afraid it was a fungal or bacterial thing. Like once it got oxygenated it took over?

Some more information: I waited a few weeks after i thought the fermentation was done to bottle and i used a clarifier. I also used campden tablets before bottling.

The taste is no different than what I remember before. Is it possible to remove the sediment, if that's all it is. The sediment isn't grainy, but more like a cloud of smoke that get stirred up. I drank or gave away half of the wine before I noticed. It wasn't even cloudy before.

Is there a way to know if it's safe?

Sorry if I'm asking dumb questions, I'm new to this. I have 2 more batches in secondary right now that are probably ready to be bottled, so I hoped to learn more about it so I don't screw anything up again.

 

[Wade E]

It could also be he campden tablets. Campden tablets are made of sulfite and also a filler that holds the pill togther and if not crushed thoroghly and dissolved well this can and does hapen so Im changing my guess to it being the undissolved portion of a capden tablet and this will always stay wispy like this so if you dont like it you will have to uncork and filter this out with a fine filter.

 

[rodo]

I also have a wine that is doing this. It is a Niagara/Concord blend made from the juice of last year. I had bottled it in both 750ML and 1500ML bottles, and noticed it first in the smaller bottles. However today I saw just a small amount in some of the larger bottles. Also my wife and I opened one of the 1500ML bottles tonight, she thought it was good I'm not so sure (but then I tend to be my harshest critic) Perhaps tommorow I'll open one of the smaller bottles that seem to have more of this and compair.

By the way we drank about 3/4 of the bottle at dinner and feel as one should expect...(did not feel ill)

 

[rodo]

It could also be he campden tablets. Campden tablets are made of sulfite and also a filler that holds the pill togther and if not crushed thoroghly

In my case I would have used granulated sorbate.

 

[Runningwolf]

I also have a wine that is doing this. It is a Niagara/Concord blend made from the juice of last year. I had bottled it in both 750ML and 1500ML bottles, and noticed it first in the smaller bottles. However today I saw just a small amount in some of the larger bottles. Also my wife and I opened one of the 1500ML bottles tonight, she thought it was good I'm not so sure (but then I tend to be my harshest critic) Perhaps tommorow I'll open one of the smaller bottles that seem to have more of this and compair.

By the way we drank about 3/4 of the bottle at dinner and feel as one should expect...(did not feel ill)

Hey Rod, I just posted I also drank a bottle of your Niagara/Concord tonight. It was clear as could be and it was very good. Thanks for giving me the good bottle!

 

[rodo]

Dan, The bottles you got and the ones I'm talking about here were bottled the same day. The one that you had was more Niagara than Concord and this was the opposite. The wispy sediment in the small bottles was evident at the time of the meetup at Julies. It has not gotten any worse in the ones that it was apparent in and not even all the small ones had it at that time however it now appears that in time they all will.

 

[Runningwolf]

Rod which of the two bottle do you like best? What is the ratio on the two type. The Niagara was very pronounce on mine tonight. The wispy sediment you are talking about seams like the same thing I have seen in some of mine and I believe it is pigment falling out of the color. It's always in the reds, when I see it. Just read the original post over again and they said they had a white wispy sediment.

 

[rodo]

I think the one you have was about 60% Niagara and the other is 60% concord. I prefer the one I gave you.

 

[ryan850]

Dissolving Campden

Thanks for all the advice. I wondered if you could tell me the proper way to dissolve the campden tablets. I have been crushing them with the back of a spoon and stirring it in and letting it set 24 hours. I will start dissolving it in a portion of the wine prior to mixing it in. I assume that is what you recommend? Should I even bother finishing off my bottle of campden tablets or just get rid of it?

Also, I don't have a SO2 test kit. Do you recommend a place online to get one? I live 90 minutes from the nearest winemaking supply.

 

[Runningwolf]

Ryan this is a place most of us would highly recommend, just click on this link.