Bentaonite Clay Question

Jim, Bentonite should be hydrated in water, not in wine. It should be allowed to sit for at lease 24 hours. 48 hours or more might be better. The solution will keep in a fridge for several weeks. Here is how I handle Bentonite at the winery. I make a 5% solution (50 grams Bentonite per liter of water). I add a measured amount of hot water (180F) to a blender. I turn on the blender and slowly add a measured amount of Bentonite. I let the blender run for 2 or 3 minutes. I pour the mixture into a container with a tight fitting cap. I put the container in the fridge.when the mixture cools. After a couple of days, I add the Bentonite mixture to the wine very slowly with constant stirring. Lum Del Mar, California, USA

Jim, I usually run a bench test to determine the necessary amount of Bentonite. Without testing, I would use 120 milliliters of hot water and about 6 grams of Bentonite. I usually do not use a second fining material. I prefer to cold stabilize white and blush wines right after the Bentonite addition. That way, the tartrate precipitates on top of the bentonite and racking off of the compacted lees is easier. Good luck, Lum Del Mar, California, USA

It's best to prepare bentonite in a blender by adding ~50 grams of bentonite to _boiling_ hot water. Mix it thoroughly, scraping down the sides with a spatula. Be careful not to scald yourself with the hot water or drop the spatula into the blades while the blender is running. Pour the blenderized bentonite into a jug and let it sit for a day or more before shaking it up and adding it to the wine with vigorous stirring..

Prepared this way, bentonite slurry will keep indefinitely. The hot water kills anything that might have had a chance to grow in it.

Tom S