The only downside I've tasted (one-dog-show, side-by-side, filterend and
non-filtered pair of wines from same batch, both settled after bottling)
is a little less complexity after filtering - but upside was slight
chalky feel was gone.

There's a price for everything; not often get all positives from any action.

Gene

Lum wrote:
> "Bob" > wrote in message
> ...
>
> wrote in message
roups.com...
>>
>> Hi Bob,
>> Why do you even bother to filter? People have been making wine for
>>thousands of years without filtration; myself, for instance! :-)
>> Seriously, what are you gaining? Pardon my ignornace, but I just don't
>>get it.....
>>
>> Bob<><
>
>
> Bob,
>
> Indeed people have been making wine "for thousands of years without
> filtration".... or without commercial yeast, potassium metabisulfite, PVPP,
> hydrometers, acid test kits, corks, bottles, etc, etc. One can make wine
> simply by crushing grapes in a container and waiting a few weeks.
> Nothing more is needed. But, the "wine" probably won't look very pretty.
> The taste may not be great and it certainly won't keep very well.
>
> Properly done, filtration can do several things for a wine.
> (1) It makes "clear" wines brighter and gives them more sparkle.
> (2) It can produce a sterile, stable product with minimum damage to the
> wine.
> (3) It is a fast, convenient way of eliminating or minimizing some unwanted
> materials from the wine such as polyphenol macromolecules, colloidal carbon,
> etc.
>
> In short, filtration can often improve the appearance, smell, taste, or
> stability of a wine. Any unfiltered wine will have better appearance after
> a proper filtration. Loosing half a point for "appearance" often makes the
> difference between a gold medal and a silver medal. It took me 30 years to
> discover that it was very difficult to produce gold medal wines without a
> good filter.
>
> Of course, many wines don't need filtration to improve smell, taste or
> stability, and if you feel your wines don't need a perfect appearance, then
> you can get by without a filter.
>
> Regards,
> Lum
> Del Mar, California, USA
>
>
>