Started my first Wine Kits today

[SIXFOOTER]

Finally got around to starting the 2 kits I got from George today, bought them back at Easter when I was rolling through Dallas.
I got a Borollo fromRenaisance and a Voignier from Cellar Craft. This stuff smells and looks great.
Got a question: What is the Bentonite for? The one in the Barollo was easy, the one from the Voignier was a pita to get mixed up. SO will be keeping an eye on those two to see how it shapes up.


A couple of weeks ago I also started a batch of grapes I got from a neighbor. I had about 8 gallons of muscadine that I froze until I could get to it. I crushed them with a clean piece of 4x4, added some pectic enzyme and a packet of Montrechet and off it went. I got about 3 gallons of very purple juce in the carboy for a little over a week now and it looks like its ready to rack off for the first time. It has really settled out quite a bit in the last couple of days.


I had to sugar it up a bit to hit 1.09 which is what the generic recipe I had called for, this one is my first so I had no idea what I was doing. The recipe mentioned ballancing the acid would make a better wine, but gave no detail on how to do that.
Suggestions?


Thanks
Danny

 

[Wade E]

The bentonite is to help the solids to settle out better so that you dont carry them over to the carboy as much and also to prevent a protein haze. As far as balancing the acids on the Concord that is done by either diluting the juice down with water or by using a agent such as Calcium Carbonate or even by cold stabilizing afterwards with very cold temps.

 

[SIXFOOTER]

Hmmm, ok, I figured thats basically what the bentonite was for. Think I need to add a bit to the Muscadine?

 

[Wade E]

It wouldnt hurt anything at all and can only help things.

 

[grapeman]

Calcium carbonate is used pre-fermentation- yours is about done so I would hold off on that. Diluting it is usually the main approach with the muscadine. If you need to bring the acid down some now that it is about done, wait until it has completed. Then you can use potassium carbonate instead to reduce it up to 3 grams/Liter of TA. Don't exceed that amount or it might make it taste salty. You might hold off on adding it until the weather gets cold outside. After you reduce using the potassium carbonate, it helps it drop out along with the acid by cold stabilizing. Place the carboy out in the cold (unheated outbuilding) for a couple weeks and rack off the acid crystals. If the temps are below freezing, replace the water in the airlock with vodka.