White haze

[ktmdatman]

Hello all,

I've gone through several posts on white haze, but I can't really find the answer I'm looking for.

I bottled some Riesling and shortly afterwards I noticed when handling the bottles a white swirl of stuff was moving around in the bottle. It settles at the bottom, but I was wondering a few things.

1. Is it safe for me to drink? Before I noticed it, I had drank a half of bottle and it was in the fridge a few days and I came back and looked at it and it had developed growths in the bottom of the bottle. I'm assuming these are protien growths of some sort?

2. I did not use Bentonite, but i did use sparkaloid (or however you spell it).

3. What could I have done different? I know it's hard to comment with little information.

The wine actually tastes great, it's unfortunate I can't give it away to all my friends to enjoy.. which was the point.

Next year..

 

[NashChic]

Is this wine from a kit or fresh juice? What brand? How old is it & how long was it aged before bottling?

Sorry for all the questions. Just trying to get enough info to be helpful =)

 

[ktmdatman]

From fresh grapes.

Approx. 5 months from crush to bottling.

 

[NashChic]

Hmmm... Did you filter? And do you really think it's "growing" something in the bottom of the bottle? My first thought is that it's still just throwing sediment, especially since it's from fresh grapes and you don't have off flavors. But if it is indeed "growing" something from an infection of some kind, maybe one of the more knowledgeable members will have some insight for you.

 

[wood1954]

unfortunately, i am not very patient and bottle much of my wine too early. that is why after a few months in the bottle they all end up with little white clouds in them. As unsightly as it is i just give them a good shake before i open and drink them. I now have little notes all over my winery area to remind me to stop and wait. i think in the long run it's probably not good for the wine, but i don't have that problem yet. As mentioned on this forum a hundred times and by folks i've met who make good wine, we have to wait and then wait some more. I bottled pear wine that i let sit for about 3months before bottling and sure enough now three months later it has a little haze in it.

 

[jswordy]

Sounds to me like normal sediment. Stand the bottle up to allow it to settle. Decant the wine off it, leaving the bottom 3/4 to an inch behind, and drink normally.

Dunno about "growths" but I am assuming you do take the normal precautions to clean (no visible debris or dirt) AND to sanitize (killing back the yeast and bugs that could harm your wine) before you bottle, and that you bottle in a sanitary fashion.

I guess "growths" could mean tartrate crystals, which happen in grape wines a lot. They are harmless. Decant off them.

I have never made pear wine but I can tell you from anecdotal evidence that 3 months is waaaaay too short a time to bottle.

You might try this: Get a laser pointer. When you can shine it through your wine and it is crystal clear without even a hint of haze, then you know it is getting near time to bottle. This can also be done with the better models of flashlight, where the beam can be focused. Any hint of haze in that beam, and you do not bottle yet. This helps to teach patience.

 

[ktmdatman]

Thanks all.

The wine was perfectly clear upon bottling and I believe I took all the required cleaning steps. I thought 5 months was time enough and I'm not sure if Riesling is classified as a Pear wine? Not sure what you mean there....

I did not filter the wine either, so maybe that has something to do with it. Still learning. Maybe this next year I'll develop some patience...

Thanks again!

 

[jswordy]

Sorry that was wood1954's post: "bottled pear wine that i let sit for about 3months before bottling and sure enough now three months later it has a little haze in it."

I have never filtered a wine.

 

[Arne]

Yep Jim, I'll bet the growths were wine diamonds starting. He is cold stabalizing when putting it in the refrig. I have only had it happen on grape, but they are kind of neat. And kt, bet the taste changed when the "growths" started showing up. The diamonds are tataric acid turning solid from the cold. Arne.

 

[Turock]

This is one of the reasons why you should always use bentonite in the primary when making white wines. AND you're not allowing enough time for all the sediment to come out of the wine. 5 months is quite early.

You need to understand that when you make wine from grapes, there are proteins, potassium, hydrogen tartrates,dirt in the wine that needs time to clarify out. You are doing yourself no good by being in such a hurry--(stern look cast your way.)