I've been working on a few batches of black currant wine for the past 14 months. I added sorbate with no finings and proceeded to bottle. Everything seemed fine (no pun) and then about 2 months after bottling I noticed sediment at the bottom of the bottle. I'f I had filtered would this eliminate the sediment. Would fining agents stop sediment? Should I have cold stabalized? I've got 12 more gallons to bottle but I'm not sure what I should do to eliminate this sediment.

Thanks

You don't say at what stage you bottled or how long you aged b4 bottling (
if at all)
If the sediment in the bottle is only minimal then it will cause you no
problems. All it will mean is that you will need to take care when pouring
from the bottle. You either decant into another vessel -- and that lets you
pour it into glasses without any worries. OR
You can pour from the bottle into glasses-- but you need to keep pouring --
and at 6 glasses to the bottle -- you have the sixth glass! If you stop
pouring, especially once you are more than 1/2 way down the bottle, then you
will disturb the sediment in the bottom of the bottle.
There's a great deal of unnecessary worry about sediment -- when I first
started drinking wine some 55 years ago or so ( it was probably b4 that) --
most quality red wines ( I'm a claret man -- man and boy) had a sediment in
bottle! Take it one stage further and consider vintage Port!
I certainly don't believe in filtering for cosmetic reasons -- I have an
inbred ( but unsubstantiated by taste tests etc) belief that wine should be
tampered with to a minimum and that filtering, to whatever micron level all
the filterers use, will remove substances inherent in the properties of the
wine.
I am not saying that filtering is wrong -- it is just that the end result is
different. But isn't every end result different.
I do find that "fruit wines" -- especially the red ones -- do take much
longer to achieved that "je ne sais quoi" at least 2 years from initial
fermentation, through bulk aging and bottling. But also that the wait is
worth while!


--
Trevor A Panther
In South Yorkshire, England
Remove "PSANTISPAM" from my address line to reply.
All outgoing mail is scanned by Norton
Anti Virus for your protection too!
"camelot" > wrote in message
news:1099229061.HncHwR0ouL36m+Vo7TM2OQ@teranews...
>
> I've been working on a few batches of black currant wine for the past 14
> months. I added sorbate with no finings and proceeded to bottle.
> Everything seemed fine (no pun) and then about 2 months after bottling
> I noticed sediment at the bottom of the bottle. I'f I had filtered
> would this eliminate the sediment. Would fining agents stop sediment?
> Should I have cold stabalized? I've got 12 more gallons to bottle but
> I'm not sure what I should do to eliminate this sediment.
>
> Thanks
>
>
> --
> camelot

You don't say at what stage you bottled or how long you aged b4 bottling (
if at all)
If the sediment in the bottle is only minimal then it will cause you no
problems. All it will mean is that you will need to take care when pouring
from the bottle. You either decant into another vessel -- and that lets you
pour it into glasses without any worries. OR
You can pour from the bottle into glasses-- but you need to keep pouring --
and at 6 glasses to the bottle -- you have the sixth glass! If you stop
pouring, especially once you are more than 1/2 way down the bottle, then you
will disturb the sediment in the bottom of the bottle.
There's a great deal of unnecessary worry about sediment -- when I first
started drinking wine some 55 years ago or so ( it was probably b4 that) --
most quality red wines ( I'm a claret man -- man and boy) had a sediment in
bottle! Take it one stage further and consider vintage Port!
I certainly don't believe in filtering for cosmetic reasons -- I have an
inbred ( but unsubstantiated by taste tests etc) belief that wine should be
tampered with to a minimum and that filtering, to whatever micron level all
the filterers use, will remove substances inherent in the properties of the
wine.
I am not saying that filtering is wrong -- it is just that the end result is
different. But isn't every end result different.
I do find that "fruit wines" -- especially the red ones -- do take much
longer to achieved that "je ne sais quoi" at least 2 years from initial
fermentation, through bulk aging and bottling. But also that the wait is
worth while!


--
Trevor A Panther
In South Yorkshire, England
Remove "PSANTISPAM" from my address line to reply.
All outgoing mail is scanned by Norton
Anti Virus for your protection too!
"camelot" > wrote in message
news:1099229061.HncHwR0ouL36m+Vo7TM2OQ@teranews...
>
> I've been working on a few batches of black currant wine for the past 14
> months. I added sorbate with no finings and proceeded to bottle.
> Everything seemed fine (no pun) and then about 2 months after bottling
> I noticed sediment at the bottom of the bottle. I'f I had filtered
> would this eliminate the sediment. Would fining agents stop sediment?
> Should I have cold stabalized? I've got 12 more gallons to bottle but
> I'm not sure what I should do to eliminate this sediment.
>
> Thanks
>
>
> --
> camelot

If it is a light dusting, then I don't worry about it. If it more than a
light dusting, say 1/4 inch of sediment, then my feeling is that you
probably either didn't rack enough while you were bulk aging and/or maybe
bottled to early. You'd be surprised how much sediment can drop out of a
wine and how long it can take. What the other poster said is good advice; it
all depends on your expectations. If you could let us know how many times
you racked before bottling, and how old your wine was when you bottled it,
that would help us to give better advice. I don't filter my wines, and at
the most I get a light dusting in the bottle, or nothing at all.
Darlene

"camelot" > wrote in message
news:1099229061.HncHwR0ouL36m+Vo7TM2OQ@teranews...
>
> I've been working on a few batches of black currant wine for the past 14
> months. I added sorbate with no finings and proceeded to bottle.
> Everything seemed fine (no pun) and then about 2 months after bottling
> I noticed sediment at the bottom of the bottle. I'f I had filtered
> would this eliminate the sediment. Would fining agents stop sediment?
> Should I have cold stabalized? I've got 12 more gallons to bottle but
> I'm not sure what I should do to eliminate this sediment.
>
> Thanks
>
>
> --
> camelot

If it is a light dusting, then I don't worry about it. If it more than a
light dusting, say 1/4 inch of sediment, then my feeling is that you
probably either didn't rack enough while you were bulk aging and/or maybe
bottled to early. You'd be surprised how much sediment can drop out of a
wine and how long it can take. What the other poster said is good advice; it
all depends on your expectations. If you could let us know how many times
you racked before bottling, and how old your wine was when you bottled it,
that would help us to give better advice. I don't filter my wines, and at
the most I get a light dusting in the bottle, or nothing at all.
Darlene

"camelot" > wrote in message
news:1099229061.HncHwR0ouL36m+Vo7TM2OQ@teranews...
>
> I've been working on a few batches of black currant wine for the past 14
> months. I added sorbate with no finings and proceeded to bottle.
> Everything seemed fine (no pun) and then about 2 months after bottling
> I noticed sediment at the bottom of the bottle. I'f I had filtered
> would this eliminate the sediment. Would fining agents stop sediment?
> Should I have cold stabalized? I've got 12 more gallons to bottle but
> I'm not sure what I should do to eliminate this sediment.
>
> Thanks
>
>
> --
> camelot

If it is a light dusting, then I don't worry about it. If it more than a
light dusting, say 1/4 inch of sediment, then my feeling is that you
probably either didn't rack enough while you were bulk aging and/or maybe
bottled to early. You'd be surprised how much sediment can drop out of a
wine and how long it can take. What the other poster said is good advice; it
all depends on your expectations. If you could let us know how many times
you racked before bottling, and how old your wine was when you bottled it,
that would help us to give better advice. I don't filter my wines, and at
the most I get a light dusting in the bottle, or nothing at all.
Darlene

"camelot" > wrote in message
news:1099229061.HncHwR0ouL36m+Vo7TM2OQ@teranews...
>
> I've been working on a few batches of black currant wine for the past 14
> months. I added sorbate with no finings and proceeded to bottle.
> Everything seemed fine (no pun) and then about 2 months after bottling
> I noticed sediment at the bottom of the bottle. I'f I had filtered
> would this eliminate the sediment. Would fining agents stop sediment?
> Should I have cold stabalized? I've got 12 more gallons to bottle but
> I'm not sure what I should do to eliminate this sediment.
>
> Thanks
>
>
> --
> camelot

Thanks for the advice given. I bulk aged about 11 months with I believe 4 rackings. The wine looked very clear prior to bottling but I know that isn't a good indication.

I do wonder if I cold stabalized if that wouldn't help. I also believe in not filtering and letting time work to your benefit. Maybe I bottled too early?

"pinky" > wrote in message . uk>...
>> There's a great deal of unnecessary worry about sediment

I agree.

>-- when I first
> started drinking wine some 55 years ago or so ( it was probably b4 that) --
> most quality red wines ( I'm a claret man -- man and boy) had a sediment in
> bottle!

I would say the same is still true, with the modifier of "properly
aged" added to your quality red wine.

Andy

"pinky" > wrote in message . uk>...
>> There's a great deal of unnecessary worry about sediment

I agree.

>-- when I first
> started drinking wine some 55 years ago or so ( it was probably b4 that) --
> most quality red wines ( I'm a claret man -- man and boy) had a sediment in
> bottle!

I would say the same is still true, with the modifier of "properly
aged" added to your quality red wine.

Andy

Well, it certainly sounds like you racked and let your wine age enough. I
usually rack 3-4 times before I bottle at 7 months, and at the most I get a
dusting of sediment or nothing at all. Then again, it could be that black
currant wine may just require more rackings or more aging. Cold stabilizing
might be a good thing to try. But you might just try to put the wine in a
cooler spot - I bulk age in my basement which is usually 10 degrees+ cooler
than the rest of my house. I have also put my carboys in my garage in the
fall for a cold stabilizing, but I always have to watch for cold spells
because I live in Wisconsin. Good-luck.
Darlene

"camelot" > wrote in message
news:1099279592.XopmDdg2fvDVlmNNxSrK8A@teranews...
>
> Thanks for the advice given. I bulk aged about 11 months with I believe
> 4 rackings. The wine looked very clear prior to bottling but I know
> that isn't a good indication.
>
> I do wonder if I cold stabalized if that wouldn't help. I also believe
> in not filtering and letting time work to your benefit. Maybe I bottled
> too early?
>
> Dar V Wrote:
>> If it is a light dusting, then I don't worry about it. If it more than
>> a
>> light dusting, say 1/4 inch of sediment, then my feeling is that you
>> probably either didn't rack enough while you were bulk aging and/or
>> maybe
>> bottled to early. You'd be surprised how much sediment can drop out of
>> a
>> wine and how long it can take. What the other poster said is good
>> advice; it
>> all depends on your expectations. If you could let us know how many
>> times
>> you racked before bottling, and how old your wine was when you bottled
>> it,
>> that would help us to give better advice. I don't filter my wines, and
>> at
>> the most I get a light dusting in the bottle, or nothing at all.
>> Darlene
>>
>> "camelot" wrote in message
>> news:1099229061.HncHwR0ouL36m+Vo7TM2OQ@teranews...-
>>
>> I've been working on a few batches of black currant wine for the past
>> 14
>> months. I added sorbate with no finings and proceeded to bottle.
>> Everything seemed fine (no pun) and then about 2 months after
>> bottling
>> I noticed sediment at the bottom of the bottle. I'f I had filtered
>> would this eliminate the sediment. Would fining agents stop
>> sediment?
>> Should I have cold stabalized? I've got 12 more gallons to bottle
>> but
>> I'm not sure what I should do to eliminate this sediment.
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>>
>> --
>> camelot-
>
>
> --
> camelot

Well, it certainly sounds like you racked and let your wine age enough. I
usually rack 3-4 times before I bottle at 7 months, and at the most I get a
dusting of sediment or nothing at all. Then again, it could be that black
currant wine may just require more rackings or more aging. Cold stabilizing
might be a good thing to try. But you might just try to put the wine in a
cooler spot - I bulk age in my basement which is usually 10 degrees+ cooler
than the rest of my house. I have also put my carboys in my garage in the
fall for a cold stabilizing, but I always have to watch for cold spells
because I live in Wisconsin. Good-luck.
Darlene

"camelot" > wrote in message
news:1099279592.XopmDdg2fvDVlmNNxSrK8A@teranews...
>
> Thanks for the advice given. I bulk aged about 11 months with I believe
> 4 rackings. The wine looked very clear prior to bottling but I know
> that isn't a good indication.
>
> I do wonder if I cold stabalized if that wouldn't help. I also believe
> in not filtering and letting time work to your benefit. Maybe I bottled
> too early?
>
> Dar V Wrote:
>> If it is a light dusting, then I don't worry about it. If it more than
>> a
>> light dusting, say 1/4 inch of sediment, then my feeling is that you
>> probably either didn't rack enough while you were bulk aging and/or
>> maybe
>> bottled to early. You'd be surprised how much sediment can drop out of
>> a
>> wine and how long it can take. What the other poster said is good
>> advice; it
>> all depends on your expectations. If you could let us know how many
>> times
>> you racked before bottling, and how old your wine was when you bottled
>> it,
>> that would help us to give better advice. I don't filter my wines, and
>> at
>> the most I get a light dusting in the bottle, or nothing at all.
>> Darlene
>>
>> "camelot" wrote in message
>> news:1099229061.HncHwR0ouL36m+Vo7TM2OQ@teranews...-
>>
>> I've been working on a few batches of black currant wine for the past
>> 14
>> months. I added sorbate with no finings and proceeded to bottle.
>> Everything seemed fine (no pun) and then about 2 months after
>> bottling
>> I noticed sediment at the bottom of the bottle. I'f I had filtered
>> would this eliminate the sediment. Would fining agents stop
>> sediment?
>> Should I have cold stabalized? I've got 12 more gallons to bottle
>> but
>> I'm not sure what I should do to eliminate this sediment.
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>>
>> --
>> camelot-
>
>
> --
> camelot

Dar V wrote:
> Well, it certainly sounds like you racked and let your wine age enough. I
> usually rack 3-4 times before I bottle at 7 months, and at the most I get a
> dusting of sediment or nothing at all. Then again, it could be that black
> currant wine may just require more rackings or more aging. Cold stabilizing
> might be a good thing to try. But you might just try to put the wine in a
> cooler spot - I bulk age in my basement which is usually 10 degrees+ cooler
> than the rest of my house. I have also put my carboys in my garage in the
> fall for a cold stabilizing, but I always have to watch for cold spells
> because I live in Wisconsin. Good-luck.
> Darlene
>
> "camelot" > wrote in message
> news:1099279592.XopmDdg2fvDVlmNNxSrK8A@teranews...
>
>>Thanks for the advice given. I bulk aged about 11 months with I believe
>>4 rackings. The wine looked very clear prior to bottling but I know
>>that isn't a good indication.
>>
>>I do wonder if I cold stabalized if that wouldn't help. I also believe
>>in not filtering and letting time work to your benefit. Maybe I bottled
>>too early?
>>
>>Dar V Wrote:
>>
>>>If it is a light dusting, then I don't worry about it. If it more than
>>>a
>>>light dusting, say 1/4 inch of sediment, then my feeling is that you
>>>probably either didn't rack enough while you were bulk aging and/or
>>>maybe
>>>bottled to early. You'd be surprised how much sediment can drop out of
>>>a
>>>wine and how long it can take. What the other poster said is good
>>>advice; it
>>>all depends on your expectations. If you could let us know how many
>>>times
>>>you racked before bottling, and how old your wine was when you bottled
>>>it,
>>>that would help us to give better advice. I don't filter my wines, and
>>>at
>>>the most I get a light dusting in the bottle, or nothing at all.
>>>Darlene
>>>
>>>"camelot" wrote in message
>>>news:1099229061.HncHwR0ouL36m+Vo7TM2OQ@teranews ...
>>>
>>>I've been working on a few batches of black currant wine for the past
>>>14
>>>months. I added sorbate with no finings and proceeded to bottle.
>>>Everything seemed fine (no pun) and then about 2 months after
>>>bottling
>>>I noticed sediment at the bottom of the bottle. I'f I had filtered
>>>would this eliminate the sediment. Would fining agents stop
>>>sediment?
>>>Should I have cold stabalized? I've got 12 more gallons to bottle
>>>but
>>>I'm not sure what I should do to eliminate this sediment.
>>>
>>>Thanks
>>>
>>>
>>>--
>>>camelot-
>>
>>
>>--
>>camelot
>
>
>

The bitartrates that produce the majority of sediments in wine
are very slow forming precipitates. A number of factors including
temperature, total acid and pH can affect how slow the formation
is. Long ageing in carboys/barrels and cold stabilization
ensures that most of the precipitate will form there and be left
behind at bottling. Filtering would remove those crystals
existing at the time, but have no effect on those forming later.

Cheers
Les

Dar V wrote:
> Well, it certainly sounds like you racked and let your wine age enough. I
> usually rack 3-4 times before I bottle at 7 months, and at the most I get a
> dusting of sediment or nothing at all. Then again, it could be that black
> currant wine may just require more rackings or more aging. Cold stabilizing
> might be a good thing to try. But you might just try to put the wine in a
> cooler spot - I bulk age in my basement which is usually 10 degrees+ cooler
> than the rest of my house. I have also put my carboys in my garage in the
> fall for a cold stabilizing, but I always have to watch for cold spells
> because I live in Wisconsin. Good-luck.
> Darlene
>
> "camelot" > wrote in message
> news:1099279592.XopmDdg2fvDVlmNNxSrK8A@teranews...
>
>>Thanks for the advice given. I bulk aged about 11 months with I believe
>>4 rackings. The wine looked very clear prior to bottling but I know
>>that isn't a good indication.
>>
>>I do wonder if I cold stabalized if that wouldn't help. I also believe
>>in not filtering and letting time work to your benefit. Maybe I bottled
>>too early?
>>
>>Dar V Wrote:
>>
>>>If it is a light dusting, then I don't worry about it. If it more than
>>>a
>>>light dusting, say 1/4 inch of sediment, then my feeling is that you
>>>probably either didn't rack enough while you were bulk aging and/or
>>>maybe
>>>bottled to early. You'd be surprised how much sediment can drop out of
>>>a
>>>wine and how long it can take. What the other poster said is good
>>>advice; it
>>>all depends on your expectations. If you could let us know how many
>>>times
>>>you racked before bottling, and how old your wine was when you bottled
>>>it,
>>>that would help us to give better advice. I don't filter my wines, and
>>>at
>>>the most I get a light dusting in the bottle, or nothing at all.
>>>Darlene
>>>
>>>"camelot" wrote in message
>>>news:1099229061.HncHwR0ouL36m+Vo7TM2OQ@teranews ...
>>>
>>>I've been working on a few batches of black currant wine for the past
>>>14
>>>months. I added sorbate with no finings and proceeded to bottle.
>>>Everything seemed fine (no pun) and then about 2 months after
>>>bottling
>>>I noticed sediment at the bottom of the bottle. I'f I had filtered
>>>would this eliminate the sediment. Would fining agents stop
>>>sediment?
>>>Should I have cold stabalized? I've got 12 more gallons to bottle
>>>but
>>>I'm not sure what I should do to eliminate this sediment.
>>>
>>>Thanks
>>>
>>>
>>>--
>>>camelot-
>>
>>
>>--
>>camelot
>
>
>

The bitartrates that produce the majority of sediments in wine
are very slow forming precipitates. A number of factors including
temperature, total acid and pH can affect how slow the formation
is. Long ageing in carboys/barrels and cold stabilization
ensures that most of the precipitate will form there and be left
behind at bottling. Filtering would remove those crystals
existing at the time, but have no effect on those forming later.

Cheers
Les

camelot > wrote in message news:<1099279592.XopmDdg2fvDVlmNNxSrK8A@teranews>. ..
> Thanks for the advice given. I bulk aged about 11 months with I believe
> 4 rackings. The wine looked very clear prior to bottling but I know
> that isn't a good indication.
>
> I do wonder if I cold stabalized if that wouldn't help. I also believe
> in not filtering and letting time work to your benefit. Maybe I bottled
> too early?
>

Contrary to other posts, I don't think cold stabilizing would help in
this case. We're talking blackcurrant wine here not a grape wine. The
major acid in blackcurrant is citric and so will not drop out as
tartaric does during cold stabilization.

Other than that, your procedure looks fine, the only question I'd have
is how long you left between the last racking and bottling? I'd leave
at least 2 months to see that no further sediment is formed after the
last racking.

Also, try the "laser light" test for clarity before bottling to makes
sure the wine is really clear.

Pp

camelot > wrote in message news:<1099279592.XopmDdg2fvDVlmNNxSrK8A@teranews>. ..
> Thanks for the advice given. I bulk aged about 11 months with I believe
> 4 rackings. The wine looked very clear prior to bottling but I know
> that isn't a good indication.
>
> I do wonder if I cold stabalized if that wouldn't help. I also believe
> in not filtering and letting time work to your benefit. Maybe I bottled
> too early?
>

Contrary to other posts, I don't think cold stabilizing would help in
this case. We're talking blackcurrant wine here not a grape wine. The
major acid in blackcurrant is citric and so will not drop out as
tartaric does during cold stabilization.

Other than that, your procedure looks fine, the only question I'd have
is how long you left between the last racking and bottling? I'd leave
at least 2 months to see that no further sediment is formed after the
last racking.

Also, try the "laser light" test for clarity before bottling to makes
sure the wine is really clear.

Pp