96 replies to this topic

[Calamity Cellars]

Thought I would chronicle my first try at bentonite fining trials

I found that most instructions for adding bentonite used a range of amounts and were usually in pounds of bentonite per 1000 gallons of wine. Those are some crazy numbers for my 15.5 gallon kegs of wine. I created a spreadsheet that reduced those additions to grams per milliliter but used the lbs/1000 gal as the inputs. I also played around with 1%, 3%, and 5% bentonite solutions for my trial and wine additions. I found that the 1% solution gave me the most manageable additions for trials but the 5% will work best for actual wine additions. I made up a 2 liter stock supply of 1% using 20 grams of bentonite. I have six 250ml sample bottles and I decided I wanted to try 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.75, 2.75, and 3.50 lbs/1000 gallons as my addition rate for the trials. This reduced down to 0, 1.50, 3.00, 5.25, 8.25, and 10.5 milliliters of 1% bentonite solution added to each of the 250ml sample bottles

That's all I've done so far and here is a picture of the sample with the bentonite recently added:

http://i194.photobuc...4-21-59_293.jpg

[surlees]

Alan,
I'm extremely impressed! Not with your bentonite samples-----but, with that kitchen!

Fred

[Calamity Cellars]

Alan,
I'm extremely impressed! Not with your bentonite samples-----but, with that kitchen! " />

Fred

That's not my kitchen. That is my wife's kitchen which I paid for. Notice I was standing outside of the cooking area when I took the picture and not inside of it? It is not wise to enter the Queen's domain.

[surlees]

Alan,
It seems to me that too much bentonite is better than not enough. My reasoning is that the bentonite will bind with and precipitate the proteins it comes in contact with. Any extra will just fall to the bottom and just stay there until the next racking. Bentonite is effective within just a few hours, so there's no need to let it stay for weeks or months. It's cheap enough that a little extra doesn't hurt anything nor cost alot; therefore, I vote for container #6.

Fred

[surlees]

That's not my kitchen. That is my wifes kitchen which I paid for. Notice I was standing outside of the cooking area when I took the picture and not inside of it? It is not wise to enter the Queen's domain.

Yeah, I figured it was too clean to be your's!

Fred

[Calamity Cellars]

Alan,
It seems to me that too much bentonite is better than not enough. My reasoning is that the bentonite will bind with and precipitate the proteins it comes in contact with. Any extra will just fall to the bottom and just stay there until the next racking. Bentonite is effective within just a few hours, so there's no need to let it stay for weeks or months. It's cheap enough that a little extra doesn't hurt anything nor cost alot; therefore, I vote for container #6.

Fred

In my Enology class we were presented with a study that showed bentonite will strip flavors and aromas from wine when added excessively. The purpose of the trials is to determine what minimum addition level will prevent protein/heat instability without stripping the wine of the good stuff.

[Calamity Cellars]

This picture was taken about an hour after adding the bentonite solution. Notice how much settling has already occurred.

http://i194.photobuc...5-43-46_533.jpg

BTW, the sample labeled #1 is a control and no bentonite has been added.

[Tomer1]

Bentonite usually takes a few days to really settle.
I usually just leave it for a month or two in contact.

[moundtop]

Cold stabilization after the bentonite really helps to compact the resulting lees prior to racking.
Also, I concur with the goal of finding the minimum effective dose for clearing in order to minimize stripping away the "good stuff".

[Calamity Cellars]

Thanks for the advice. If this was the actual wine I was treating I would add the bentonite and then start the cold stabilization process that way the bentonite sediment would be held a bit firmer with the tartrate crystals and it would have the time to compact itself. But since this is a fining trial I will be filtering the bentonite out with a Lab Filter after 24 hours on the bentonite and immediately begin the 24 hours at 60C. I am following the procedure used by Vinquiry on page 3 of their Fining Trials article.

[moundtop]

Are you planning to follow-up with a picture reflecting the results after 24 hours???

[Calamity Cellars]

Are you planning to follow-up with a picture reflecting the results after 24 hours???

Maybe.....Maybe Not.....


OK, I will. I am planning on posting pictures and documenting the entire fining trial process.

[Calamity Cellars]

Here are the samples 24 hours after adding the bentonite. I did store them in the fridge over night and there is already a dusting of tartaric crystals in the control sample.

http://i194.photobuc...5-25-15_400.jpg

I will be filtering and starting the heat stress later this evening.

FYI, the light source in this picture is stronger from the left which is why the samples on the right appear more yellow. In reality they are very similar in color.

[surlees]

Alan,

If this was the actual wine I was treating------

If the solution you're using is not wine, what is it?

Fred

[Calamity Cellars]

Alan,

If the solution you're using is not wine, what is it?

Fred

I think you took my comment out of context considering the advice I was responding to. I was given advice to add the bentonite and then start cold stabilization so that the tartrates would help compact the bentonite and hold it in place when racking after CS. This is excellent advice. My response was saying that I agree with this advice except that this topic and the samples I am currently working with are not the bulk wine but small samples of it that have been removed for a specific purpose. I am not cold stabilizing these samples and they are individually going to be filtered using a very small lab filter. Does that make more sense? Sorry if I was being confusing.