Still bubbly after all this time - what is it?

OK, I need help here. I've got a Riesling ready to bottle except for some very annoying bubbles. It's dry (.985 or so), I ran an ML test on it and it appears to not have gone through ML at all. I just racked it, as well as bringing the SO2 level up to 50ppm, and added Potassium Sorbate in preparation for bottling. Still have some bubbles. The carboy had a thin film of lees left at the bottom, though there was actually more crystals (probably tartrate)than anything.

Any other ideas? Am I just going to end up with a "frizzante"?

Rob

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Rob
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Rob - At the risk of mentioning the obvious, have you de-gassed the wine? It sounds like CO2 from fermentation now coming out of solution (possibly due to rising temperatures this time of year?).

Doug

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Doug

I'm obviously missing something, so obvious is fine by me.

I don't think it's degassing. Here's some more information that makes me think that, but if it makes you think otherwise, let me know. It's been racked twice since fermentation ended, the first time with some pretty heavy splattering to try and get it to de-gas. I'm lucky enough to have a means to keep it at a (relatively) constant temperature, so it hasn't really seen any temperature increase. A second carboy of Riesling I have going right next to it (handled exactly the same way, though a different grape source) has shown no similar condition. And finally, there's been no real change in the rate of bubbles since the end of primary - say one bubble in the airlock every minute or two (never actually timed it...).

Rob

Reply to
Rob

Rob,

I wouldn't rule out degassing based on your evidence below. A couple of years ago, I had a single batch of wine that I split into 2 carboys. Both were treated identically. After 3 rackings (over 6 months), I bottled it only to find that one of the carboys must not have been sufficiently degassed. Half of the bottles have distracting bubbles when first poured. Fortunately, decanting or a good couple of swirls gets rid of the gas, but it's a lesson I won't forget.

Sounds like your wine is dry but it might be worthwhile to run a clinitest. More importantly, how does it taste? sweet? frizzante? Lastly, it's possible that MLF is initiating in one batch and not the other. This would not be unusual. Although a bubbling rate of one or two per minute in your air lock sounds like gas to me. Run another chromatogram in a few weeks to see if your relative [] of malic acid has changed.

Good luck, RD

Rob wrote:

Reply to
RD

Rob,

I wouldn't rule out degassing based on your evidence below. A couple of years ago, I had a single batch of wine that I split into 2 carboys. Both were treated identically. After 3 rackings (over 6 months), I bottled it only to find that one of the carboys must not have been sufficiently degassed. Half of the bottles have distracting bubbles when first poured. Fortunately, decanting or a good couple of swirls gets rid of the gas, but it's a lesson I won't forget.

Sounds like your wine is dry but it might be worthwhile to run a clinitest. More importantly, how does it taste? sweet? frizzante? Lastly, it's possible that MLF is initiating in one batch and not the other. This would not be unusual. Although a bubbling rate of one or two per minute in your air lock sounds like gas to me. Run another chromatogram in a few weeks to see if your relative [] of malic acid has changed.

Good luck, RD

Rob wrote:

Reply to
RD

Neither of the Rieslings taste "sweet". They actually came with a little botrytis, so that's in the flavor mix, but the aroma and flavor comes off otherwise sharp, not sweet. And no carbonation feel when tasting/pouring.

I appreciate the help.

Rob

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Rob

Well, I've lysozymed, and stirred, and it's gone still now. I'd guess the stirring was the answer, but more importantly, it's ready for bottling. Thanks for everything on this one.

Rob

Rob wrote:

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Rob

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