WineXpert That'll "learn" me!

[Rocky]

I am in the middle of an experiment with my WineXpert California Chardonnay (Chardonnay and Semillon juice). I had the wine in three vessels, 2 each 6.5 gallon carboys, a 5 gallon carboy and a 1/2 gallon jug. I was at the point of stabilization and clearing and the instructions said to stir up the sediment before starting these two steps. I was a little reluctant to do so and chose to follow the directions on the 5 gallon and 1/2 gallon and see what developed. My reluctance stemmed from the large amount of fine sediment at the bottom of the vessels and it did not seem a good idea to stir that up. Here are an older "before" and a recent "after" picture of the wine showing the current state of the wine that has been stabilized and cleared and the wine that was not. It has only been 24 hours since I did this and it still may work out. At this point, I am happy that I did not do this to the entire triple batch.

 

[WI_Wino]

Interesting, I have had just the opposite experience with WE kits. I added the clearing agent w/o stirring up the fine lees and it still hasn't cleared after several months. In another carboy I stirred up the fine lees per the directions, added clearing agent, and it dropped clear in a week.

 

[Rocky]

Thank you WIW, that is encouraging. It may still be okay and I can hold off on the rest for a week or so.

 

[ibglowin]

I have done 3 Eclipse Whites and one WE LR and They all use a one step fining agent and explicitly say to NOT rack off the gross lees before adding the fining agents in. All I can say is that this method works! You can actually see stuff clumping and falling out of solution the minute you stop mixing with the drill-mixer. All are crystal clear within a few days to week at most.

 

[Rocky]

Thanks for the info. I am very encouraged now. Maybe I will get to the two 6.5 gallon carboys tomorrow. Appreciate the insight.

 

[Gwand]

Thanks for the info. I am very encouraged now. Maybe I will get to the two 6.5 gallon carboys tomorrow. Appreciate the insight.

The directions for the WE Pinot Gris warned that failure to stir up lees would prevent clearing. I reluctantly followed the directions but feared the worse because there was so much sediment. However it worked out beautifully. The wine became crystal clear.

 

[JMK]

The WE clearing agent relies on a positive/negative interface, so stirring the lees is important. However, I have found that any amount of CO2 will hamper the clearing process. I prefer to stir the lees on my Chardonnay kits for a month and than clear. This will help eliminate CO2 as well as add beneficial manoproteins that will add mouthfeel and buttery flavors.

 

[RegionRat]

Thanks for the info. I am very encouraged now. Maybe I will get to the two 6.5 gallon carboys tomorrow. Appreciate the insight.

I too have paused at that point and reread/rethought the instructions. I followed the instructions and everything turned out fine.

RR

 

[Enologo]

I will chime in with this though I have such limited experience being so new at this I can actually speak to this having made two WE whites, a Pino Grigio and their Coastal White and both cleared beautifully following their directions.

 

[Rocky]

Thank you all for your encouragement. I feel so much better now.

Enologo, your input is always welcome. Don't be concerned with your level of experience.

 

[Putterrr]

I have always racked off the lees and then added the chemicals, degased, clearing agents. I have done Eclipse, En Primeur, Winery Series, WE LE, RJS RQ as well as Cru Select and Selection kits. All my wines have cleared in a week or so and I usually rack again in 3 weeks for further aging. Works for me.

cheers

 

[cimbaliw]

I've cleared my kits both with and without the sediment. I usually start with two vacuum rackings to degas. I then add the sulphite and sorbate. This is followed by two more degas rackings then clearing agent, usually chitosan. The first couple of times doing so, by force of habit, I initally racked off the lees. The last few kits I've remembered to keep the sediment involved. Either way it's worked out well. I've gotten the impression, through all of my blunders, that kits are hard to kill.

 

[Rocky]

I don't know, Sports Fans, this clearing is taking a lot longer than I thought it would and is not near acceptable in the part of the carboy that has cleared. It has been 4 days and here are pictures from this morning. I have not done anything to the two 6.5 gallon carboys.

 

[ibglowin]

Temps in the winery/carboy? I think it will clear on those two but it will just take its sweet time compared to the others.

 

[cimbaliw]

Looks to me like you're right on schedule Uncle Rocky. The WE "8 day" clearing parameter might be a little tight. Especially if Ohio is enjoying the same weather as we have here in GR... it's 19f this morning outside! 61f in my bulk area.

 

[trudy]

help clearing

I making wilkos home made chardonnay. Having trouble clearing it. Put a and b finnings in about 10 days after starting it. Still not cleared 5 weeks later so added a different clearing solution and 4 days layer still not clearing. This is all new to m.

 

[Phytotech]

I did this with their LE torrentes last year, took about 2 weeks with not much then all of a sudden "thud" cleared overnight. Temperature probably has an effect was around 16 C for my clearing

 

[ibglowin]

Rocky,

I vacuumed degassed my Eclipse NZ Sauv Blanc for like 2 mins yesterday as it was already looking like it had degassed it self. I added the KMETA and stirred for 1 min. Added the Chitosan and stirred for 1 min. This AM less than 24 hours later and this thing is almost crystal clear. Can definitely see completely through both side of glass. I will let it sit for another 3 days probably and rack off the lees and fines then add the sorbate, f-pack and top off as needed. The only thing I don't like about there fining process is that by leaving the lees on and then stirring with the mix-stir it seems they turn into fluffy marshmallow mess on the bottom that just doesn't really want to compact nicely. I seem to need to top off more than with CC Showcase kits that come with the 2 step fining process in which you rack off the compacted gross less prior to fining.

 

[ibglowin]

Not sure what a Wilkos Chardonnay is, perhaps you could tell us more about it. Also there are lots of threads on degassing and clearing. A wine won't clear unless it has been properly degassed. Stir it well with a "mix stir" or similar. Also it needs to be kept warm until it clears. Keeping it warm (~72 degrees) will also help it to degas easier.

I making wilkos home made chardonnay. Having trouble clearing it. Put a and b finnings in about 10 days after starting it. Still not cleared 5 weeks later so added a different clearing solution and 4 days layer still not clearing. This is all new to m.

 

[trudy]

Do you know the superstore Wilkinson. . It's one of there home wine making kits.
I read a thread saying put it in a cool area to clear I will move it again to a warmer area.