Bentonite as a fining agent for making clearer wine

Thursday, May 25, 2023

Great wine starts with balance, patience, and precision. Clarity isn’t just about looks; it tells you everything about the winemaker’s craft. 


A cloudy wine can signal excess protein, unstable chemistry, or shortcuts in cellaring. A clear one reflects method and discipline. 


The same instinct that drives a brewer to check gravity, temperature, and yeast health before bottling applies here too.

Why Bentonite Works: The Science in the Clay

Bentonite is a naturally occurring clay rich in montmorillonite. Its microscopic platelets hold a strong negative charge that attracts positively charged proteins and haze-forming compounds. 

When hydrated, it swells like a sponge and forms a suspension that acts as a magnet for unwanted particles. Think of it as the brewer’s whirlfloc tablet for wine, only more refined and deliberate.

Winemakers favor Bentonite for its consistency and predictability. It’s non-reactive, easy to source, and works across many wine styles. Still, every batch is unique. Just like hops or malt, bentonite has grades and variations such as sodium and calcium bentonite that affect swelling and fining strength.

How to Use Bentonite: Step by Step

  1. Hydrate Properly: Always hydrate bentonite in hot water (60–70°C) before adding it to wine. Stir well and let it rest for at least 12 hours. This activates its surface charge and improves particle binding.
  2. Dosage Matters: Start with 0.5–1 gram per liter for white wines and up to 2 grams for reds. Run bench trials first. Overdoing it can strip aroma and flavor complexity.
  3. Timing the Addition: Add after fermentation or just before cold stabilization. For kit wines, mix gently to avoid oxygen pickup.
  4. Allow for Settling: Once added, bentonite will form a fine gel that drifts to the bottom, carrying haze particles with it. Give it time, two weeks minimum. Patience here pays dividends.
  5. Racking and Polishing: Rack off the sediment cleanly. If you’ve done it right, the wine should gleam even before filtration.

Expert Tips from the Fermenter’s Bench

  • Temperature is everything. Bentonite works best in cooler wine. Aim for under 15°C when fining, as this helps proteins bind efficiently.
  • Don’t skip trials. Just like hop testing in brewing, test clarity on small volumes first. A few milliliters of over-fined wine can tell you how much complexity you’re losing.
  • Use a pH meter. Bentonite’s effectiveness increases slightly at lower pH. Wines with a pH above 3.6 may require a touch more agent to get the same result.
  • Mind your yeast. Residual yeast cells can adsorb fining agents. If you rack before adding bentonite, you’ll get a cleaner pull.
  • Think like a brewer. Every fining step should be minimal intervention. The goal is not to clean wine but to stabilize and refine it, just like brightening a beer before kegging.

Pairing Bentonite with Other Finings

In more complex wines, Sparkolloid can complement bentonite beautifully. While bentonite binds proteins and haze, Sparkolloid tackles tannins and fine particulates. When combined carefully, the result is brilliance, both visually and in texture.

Add bentonite first, let it settle, then use Sparkolloid after racking. Always test ratios in small volumes. Over-fining can rob your wine of subtle esters and fruit character. Done right, though, the two agents work like a filterless polish, a double act of science and patience.

Brewer’s Perspective: Translating the Craft

Homebrewers can learn plenty from winemakers’ fining discipline. Bentonite principles apply directly to beer clarity, especially for meads or fruit beers prone to protein haze. Think of it as the molecular cousin to Irish Moss or gelatin finings, operating at a finer, more selective level.

If you’ve ever cold-crashed a beer and seen the clarity jump overnight, you’ve witnessed the same principle: protein coagulation and sedimentation. Bentonite just gives you a sharper tool for that cleanup job, one rooted in centuries of wine tradition.

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About the author Jimmy Jangles


My name is Jimmy Jangles, the founder of The Astromech. I have always been fascinated by the world of science fiction, especially the Star Wars universe, and I created this website to share my love for it with fellow fans.

At The Astromech, you can expect to find a variety of articles, reviews, and analysis related to science fiction, including books, movies, TV, and games.
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