| People always wonder how wine can be made so | | | | anything from dead yeast, to cellulose, to pieces |
| clear. If you're one of those who make their own | | | | of skin or stem. It all depends on how well the |
| wine, you will be aware of fermentation through | | | | first racking process goes and you may have to |
| which wine is made but during which bits of debris | | | | continue this procedure more than once. Red wine |
| tend to collate at the bottom of the wine. For | | | | tends to be easier to clear out than white wine, |
| winemakers, this factor is purely natural and | | | | red wines may need only a single round of racking |
| acceptable as a part of the entire process but | | | | before they can be bottled for sale. |
| consumers prefer their wine clear. They don't | | | | Another well known method of cleaning out wine |
| want to see debris floating inside their wine. | | | | is referred to as fining. If you add a fining |
| Because of these factors, after the fermentation | | | | instrument to the wine, it starts off the cleaning |
| process has been completed, the winemaker will | | | | process. The cleaning agent tends to be a lot |
| usually clean out the wine before he starts with | | | | heavier than alcohol and water and as such it |
| the process of aging the wine. This cleaning | | | | doesn't dissolve but it sinks to the bottom. It also |
| process also tends to have other advantages as | | | | attracts the floating debris to stick to it. The |
| well since it increases the shelf life of the wine | | | | process must be carried out very carefully |
| too. | | | | because it tends to disturb the bouquet as well as |
| However, not all is rosy and this process has its | | | | the flavor of the wine and the ageing process. |
| disadvantages at the same time. The removal of | | | | Fining is a very delicate procedure and it should |
| the floating bits in the wine tends to affect the | | | | only be carried out by people who are conversant |
| bouquet of the wine. Despite this and other facts, | | | | with the technique and not by people who have |
| these bits should be removed in order to make | | | | no experience with this sort of thing. Different |
| the wine something which can be sold easily. | | | | fining instruments can be used in the wine cleaning |
| People who make their wine at home also want | | | | procedure and they include gelatin, egg white, |
| to make it into something that has a welcoming | | | | blood or milk. |
| and inviting appearance. | | | | Other options exist for people who wish to clear |
| Several processes are employed in order to | | | | their wine and one of these options is filtering. |
| make wine as clear as it is in stores. The oldest | | | | You filter the wine through something that leaves |
| of these methods is known as racking. This is | | | | the wine bits at the bottom. It sounds relatively |
| usually achieved by pouring the wine directly into | | | | easy but it must be handled with care as filtering |
| another bottle and leaving the sediments behind. | | | | wrongly may leave a clear but tasteless wine |
| Bits are usually different things which may be | | | | behind. |