Sparkolloid Powder Hot Mix Wine Finings 1 lb
Sparkolloid, a proprietary fining agent derived from alginic acid salt found in brown algae, is very effective in settling finely suspended particles and is therefore recommended for red wines, although it is suitable for white wines also. A benefit of Sparkolloid’s effectiveness is increased filter throughput, if the wine is to be filtered, due to the greater extent of lees compactness.
Sparkolloid powder is added at a rate of 10–40 g/hL of wine. First prepare a Sparkolloid solution by boiling water in a saucepan. Add the Sparkolloid powder to the boiling water and stir thoroughly. Let the solution boil for 20 minutes while stirring continuously to dissolve all the powder. Add the hot Sparkolloid solution to the wine while stirring continuously.
Although many winemakers recommend letting the wine settle for only a week or two before racking, experience has shown that settling can occur well after bottling. Therefore it is recommended letting the wine clarify for approximately 3–6 months before racking, particularly when using a rate of addition at the upper end of the range.