> wrote in message
ups.com...
> 1. I added 1 cup of bentonite solution each to a 5 gallon container and
> a 7 gallon container of the SAME wine. The 5 gallon container cleared
> great but the 7 gallon container is now MORE cloudy. Since the 7
> gallons is obvious MORE than the 5 I can't see the haze being from too
> much bentonite so do you have any insight into what's going on ??

Assuming identical wine in both vessels, there are only 3 possibilities I
see at the moment:

(1) The fining materials were more different between the two than was
apparent,

(2) The difference between 5 and 7 gallons was more critical than you
thought,

(3) Your technique when mixing in the bentonite was different enough to
make a difference.

Regarding (1), was the second lot of finings from the same batch as the
first, just divided between the two, or was it prepared separately from the
first batch. IOW, could the preparation of the finings be the critical
difference?

> 2. After you bentonite I've read you throw the Kieselsohl and the
> gelatin on top of the bentonite before racking. When you do that do you
> stir vigorously to stir up the bentonite

Yes. But you don't have to. What you need to do is emulate as closely as
possible whatever you did in your trials that worked best.

> 3. Is there any danger of the bentonite/Kieselsohl/gelatin lees
> causing OFF odors if left in the wine too long????

Not that I've seen, but I only leave it for a few months or so usually.

> 4. If you do get a bentonite haze, what do YOU use to get it out???

Isinglass and/or gelatin and/or a plate & frame filter.

> 5. Do you ever use egg whites for your chardonnay??

No. I'm sure some do though - possibly to good effect.

Tom S