Brown Chardonnay?...

I have never brewed white wine before. So I just bought a kit of Selection Estate Sonoma Dry Creek Valley Chardonnay. Which is expensive as it is considered one of the best kits.

After mixing the Bentonite with water, as instructed, I poured the juice in the glass carboy and it is the color of Iced Tea. A nice medium brown.

I did not look at the juice before pouring it in the carboy. But I assure you that the carboy was very clean. So does the Bentonite make white wine look brown during fermentation? It has only been hours since I did this.

I use a 7 gallon glass carboy for fermentation.

If anyone has made a Chardonnay before, I would appreciate an answer before I go back to the store to complain. The date on the box was that it was made Jan 14, 2011. Less than a year old.

I am new to brewing as well but from what little I do know is that the bentonite is meant to keep the sugars from the juice in suspension for fermentation. This way the yeast can do it's job more efficiently and thoroughly. I am confident that when you rack to your secondary you wine will be much clearer and after you add your clearing pack it will be the correct color.