What is this film?

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nubeedubee

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Hello all!

Today I got around to checking on a batch of 2015 Syrah that I haven't checked on in awhile. At the top of the carboy there is a film on the top of the wine. Looks a little funky. Anyone recognize what it is? Smells a bit vinegary so it might be a loss.



Cheers,
nubeedubee

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It is likely a flor type yeast or bacteria growing on the top. It is not good for the wine. Fortunately your wine is well topped up and it is only a very small amount of exposure. My guess is the the wine underneath that is fine. You will want to get a sample from well underneath to taste and check it. I would rack it asap and dose it with sulfites. You want to rack but not transfer the white film. In this case, since your carboy is very full, before you rack it I would take another wine and carefully add it to the carboy to float the film up and out of the neck. That way you may be able to remove most of that film before you rack it.

This should not form if you have a proper air lock or bung sealing it and are keeping your sulfite levels up properly.
 
A turkey baster also work in sucking off the top of the wine. I would also check the ph of the wine and if to high add some acid along with the K Meta
 
Thanks Greg and salcoco! I'll see what I can do and let you know how it goes.
 
I had/have the same problem... It looks very simiar... they are correct - try to skim it off somehow b/c I racked and it came back.. Pissing me off to be blunt. I added So2 and still it came back likely b/c I just transferred it back into the other vessels... like an STD!

Need to do it again..

So you folks think this is linked to bad bung/air lock issue?
 
Well, I did what GreginND said: pumped some wine into the carboy to float the film up and out of the carboy. Then tried to rack it and hit it with some sulfites. But, after some tasting at various intervals, concluded the whole thing was a loss. The Syrah tasted chalky, was completely flat, and just wasn't good at all. It was off enough I don't think it can be recovered. So I dumped it. Live and learn. Thanks for the help!
 
I think you were to quick on the draw. i would have checked the ph of the wine. since it tasted flat I would have guessed a high ph, one of the contributors to the flowers of wine you experienced. proper acid adjustment would have changed the wine dramatically. Even if it was still bad you could have made a learning experience from it.

in future insure good sanitizing procedures and proper ph values.
 

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