When to use bentonite ?

[Fruit]

Independently of my problems with 2 tanks of plum wine, I want to ask about bentonite.
In December I made about 20 liters of lemon wine, in about 3 weeks it will be time to transfer it 3rd time (last time ?).
Wine looks very clean, beautiful light honey color, some sediment is still slowly building on the bottom of carboys.
Do I apply bentonite after next-third (and last ?) transfer ? How long should it than stay in carboys with that bentonite ?

 

[Ohio Bob]

If it’s already clearing on it’s own I would not add bentonite. It creates voluminous, light fluffy lees. So to avoid racking the lees you end up losing a little bit of wine. My whites I’ve treated with bentonite stopped dropping lees after a week or two. Actually I think the lees started compressing slightly.

I’ve seen recommendations that bentonite be added when pitching the yeast, to help drop out the gross lees. I can see why that’s the case. If your wine is hazy, that’s a different issue. Since it seems to be clearing, just give it 3 months.

 

[Fruit]

Interesting ! Should I leave it for next 3 months without further racking ? Or should I keep racking every 4-6 weeks until almost nothing builds up on the bottom ?
Currently my lemon wine looks very clean, no haze at all, just some sediment on the bottom. This wine was made from Meyer lemon juice (no pieces of lemon fruits at all) plus some golden raisins and was made in bag.

 

[Ohio Bob]

Every time you rack you lose wine when you leave that last bit behind with the lees. Also oxygen is introduced. The fine lees are not detrimental, some say they add character to the wine, they are not an issue. There is no reason to rack before 3 months, some even stretch it further.