Hi, I started a red wine made from my father in law's grapes. There's
only a gallon of it, but it is rich and dense, almost black in
colour. I think it will be pretty good when it is finished,
especially since it came from a fairly random grape vine which wasn't
sold with wine in mind. I tasted it on second racking and it was
better than the bottled french burgandy I was drinking the day
before...

I usually use a laser pointer and a strong torch to ascertain the
clarity of my 1 gallon and sometimes 5 gallon wines. It usually gives
a pretty good indication of how clear or otherwise a white, rosé or
clear red wine is. However, for a rich red grape wine, or elderberry
wine, the laser just can't penetrate more than 1/8th of an inch until
it is clear - or close to.

The wine was started on the 1st of September last year. I expect it
to be September 2009 before we drink it. My question though, is
should I leave it to clear naturally, however long that takes. Or,
would I be better off fining it at some point and then continuing the
again process after that?

I am keen to let it clear naturally if it isn't likely to result in
off flavours or other damage to the wine. If I do need to fine it,
what would be recommended, bentonite?

I am sure it is a 'how long is a piece of string' kind of question and
surely doesn't justify the length of my post Any help though is
gratefully received as always.

Best wishes to you all, Jim

Jim,

Howdy. My thought is that if you're gonna let it sit anyway, you might as
well just let it settle naturally. Then you can do a final racking right
before bottling.

Alternately, if you can find room in your refrigerator, you can put the
carboy in there for a week or so. That'll expedite settling as well as cold
stabilize.

Robert



"jim" > wrote in message
...
Hi, I started a red wine made from my father in law's grapes. There's
only a gallon of it, but it is rich and dense, almost black in
colour. I think it will be pretty good when it is finished,
especially since it came from a fairly random grape vine which wasn't
sold with wine in mind. I tasted it on second racking and it was
better than the bottled french burgandy I was drinking the day
before...

I usually use a laser pointer and a strong torch to ascertain the
clarity of my 1 gallon and sometimes 5 gallon wines. It usually gives
a pretty good indication of how clear or otherwise a white, rosé or
clear red wine is. However, for a rich red grape wine, or elderberry
wine, the laser just can't penetrate more than 1/8th of an inch until
it is clear - or close to.

The wine was started on the 1st of September last year. I expect it
to be September 2009 before we drink it. My question though, is
should I leave it to clear naturally, however long that takes. Or,
would I be better off fining it at some point and then continuing the
again process after that?

I am keen to let it clear naturally if it isn't likely to result in
off flavours or other damage to the wine. If I do need to fine it,
what would be recommended, bentonite?

I am sure it is a 'how long is a piece of string' kind of question and
surely doesn't justify the length of my post Any help though is
gratefully received as always.

Best wishes to you all, Jim

On Feb 22, 11:16*am, "Robert Lewis" > wrote:
> Jim,
>
> *Howdy. *My thought is that if you're gonna let it sit anyway, you might as
> well just let it settle naturally. *Then you can do a final racking right
> before bottling.
>
> Alternately, if you can find room in your refrigerator, you can put the
> carboy in there for a week or so. *That'll expedite settling as well as cold
> stabilize.
>
> *Robert
>
> "jim" > wrote in message
>
> ...
> Hi, I started a red wine made from my father in law's grapes. *There's
> only a gallon of it, but it is rich and dense, almost black in
> colour. *I think it will be pretty good when it is finished,
> especially since it came from a fairly random grape vine which wasn't
> sold with wine in mind. *I tasted it on second racking and it was
> better than the bottled french burgandy I was drinking the day
> before...
>
> I usually use a laser pointer and a strong torch to ascertain the
> clarity of my 1 gallon and sometimes 5 gallon wines. It usually gives
> a pretty good indication of how clear or otherwise a white, rosé or
> clear red wine is. *However, for a rich red grape wine, or elderberry
> wine, the laser just can't penetrate more than 1/8th of an inch until
> it is clear - or close to.
>
> The wine was started on the 1st of September last year. *I expect it
> to be September 2009 before we drink it. *My question though, is
> should I leave it to clear naturally, however long that takes. *Or,
> would I be better off fining it at some point and then continuing the
> again process after that?
>
> I am keen to let it clear naturally if it isn't likely to result in
> off flavours or other damage to the wine. *If I do need to fine it,
> what would be recommended, bentonite?
>
> I am sure it is a 'how long is a piece of string' kind of question and
> surely doesn't justify the length of my post *Any help though is
> gratefully received as always.
>
> Best wishes to you all, Jim

how cold can wine be "cold stabilized" at?
Its 20-ish deg F in my garage right now.......

On Feb 22, 4:59 pm, Wayne Harris > wrote:
> On Feb 22, 11:16 am, "Robert Lewis" > wrote:
>
>
>
> > Jim,
>
> > Howdy. My thought is that if you're gonna let it sit anyway, you might as
> > well just let it settle naturally. Then you can do a final racking right
> > before bottling.
>
> > Alternately, if you can find room in your refrigerator, you can put the
> > carboy in there for a week or so. That'll expedite settling as well as cold
> > stabilize.
>
> > Robert
>
> > "jim" > wrote in message
>
> ...
> > Hi, I started a red wine made from my father in law's grapes. There's
> > only a gallon of it, but it is rich and dense, almost black in
> > colour. I think it will be pretty good when it is finished,
> > especially since it came from a fairly random grape vine which wasn't
> > sold with wine in mind. I tasted it on second racking and it was
> > better than the bottled french burgandy I was drinking the day
> > before...
>
> > I usually use a laser pointer and a strong torch to ascertain the
> > clarity of my 1 gallon and sometimes 5 gallon wines. It usually gives
> > a pretty good indication of how clear or otherwise a white, rosé or
> > clear red wine is. However, for a rich red grape wine, or elderberry
> > wine, the laser just can't penetrate more than 1/8th of an inch until
> > it is clear - or close to.
>
> > The wine was started on the 1st of September last year. I expect it
> > to be September 2009 before we drink it. My question though, is
> > should I leave it to clear naturally, however long that takes. Or,
> > would I be better off fining it at some point and then continuing the
> > again process after that?
>
> > I am keen to let it clear naturally if it isn't likely to result in
> > off flavours or other damage to the wine. If I do need to fine it,
> > what would be recommended, bentonite?
>
> > I am sure it is a 'how long is a piece of string' kind of question and
> > surely doesn't justify the length of my post Any help though is
> > gratefully received as always.
>
> > Best wishes to you all, Jim
>
> how cold can wine be "cold stabilized" at?
> Its 20-ish deg F in my garage right now.......

Thanks Robert. As long as no off-flavours are likely to result then I
am happy doing so.

Interesting question Wayne. It's between 4C (38F) and 9C (49F) where
I live at the moment. I could happily move the wine to the garage -
good idea Robert thanks!

Jim

"Wayne Harris" > wrote in message
...
On Feb 22, 11:16 am, "Robert Lewis" > wrote:

how cold can wine be "cold stabilized" at?
Its 20-ish deg F in my garage right now.......

Oh, my.... I think 20ish is quite cold enough. I don't let mine get that
cold since I don't want it to freeze. I honestly don't know if freezing
affects the final flavor though. Anyone know? I suspect that if a full
carboy froze, it would push up through the top & push out the plug, making a
royal mess.

Robert

On Feb 22, 7:24 pm, "Robert Lewis" > wrote:
> "Wayne Harris" > wrote in message
>
> ...
> On Feb 22, 11:16 am, "Robert Lewis" > wrote:
>
> how cold can wine be "cold stabilized" at?
> Its 20-ish deg F in my garage right now.......
>
> Oh, my.... I think 20ish is quite cold enough. I don't let mine get that
> cold since I don't want it to freeze. I honestly don't know if freezing
> affects the final flavor though. Anyone know? I suspect that if a full
> carboy froze, it would push up through the top & push out the plug, making a
> royal mess.
>
> Robert

It wouldn't hurt if it froze but I wouldn't recommend it either. Wine
freezes around 25F; the amount of alcohol in the wine determines the
freezing point. It will begin freezing in the neck typically, it's
more of a slush. If you want to concentrate a wine this is one way to
do it. Freeze it and remove the ice which is mostly water once about
half to 3/4 or so drains through a funnel as it thaws.

Joe

On Feb 24, 3:58 pm, Joe Sallustio > wrote:
> On Feb 22, 7:24 pm, "Robert Lewis" > wrote:
>
> > "Wayne Harris" > wrote in message
>
> ...
> > On Feb 22, 11:16 am, "Robert Lewis" > wrote:
>
> > how cold can wine be "cold stabilized" at?
> > Its 20-ish deg F in my garage right now.......
>
> > Oh, my.... I think 20ish is quite cold enough. I don't let mine get that
> > cold since I don't want it to freeze. I honestly don't know if freezing
> > affects the final flavor though. Anyone know? I suspect that if a full
> > carboy froze, it would push up through the top & push out the plug, making a
> > royal mess.
>
> > Robert
>
> It wouldn't hurt if it froze but I wouldn't recommend it either. Wine
> freezes around 25F; the amount of alcohol in the wine determines the
> freezing point. It will begin freezing in the neck typically, it's
> more of a slush. If you want to concentrate a wine this is one way to
> do it. Freeze it and remove the ice which is mostly water once about
> half to 3/4 or so drains through a funnel as it thaws.
>
> Joe

I don't like the idea of it freezing much, but I do like the idea of
chilling it to help it settle and stabilize. I have moved the red
into the loft where all of my unbottled wine which has finished its
fermentation goes. That has the benefit of through draft and no
overhead insulation, but a little heat moving up into the loft space
from the house below. The temperature never really dips below 3C
(37.5F) where I live. Thanks for the comments and suggestions thus
far.

How long do your red wines take to clear on average?

Best wishes, Jim

On Feb 22, 4:24*pm, "Robert Lewis" > wrote:
> "Wayne Harris" > wrote in message
>
> ...
> On Feb 22, 11:16 am, "Robert Lewis" > wrote:
>
> how cold can wine be "cold stabilized" at?
> Its 20-ish deg F in my garage right now.......
>
> Oh, my.... *I think 20ish is quite cold enough. *I don't let mine get that
> cold since I don't want it to freeze. *I honestly don't know if freezing
> affects the final flavor though. *Anyone know? *I suspect that if a full
> carboy froze, it would push up through the top & push out the plug, making a
> royal mess.
>
> *Robert

More likely you'd end up with a broken carboy and no wine if you let
the wine freeze solid.

Pp