Is this an issue? Campden color change..

Just about 1 month ago I retired from NY to Colombia. I had to leave all my wine behind and start from scratch. (I left about 20 gallons with happy friends) I did bring some basic supplies with me to get started. I had a local guy in the market tell me he can get me Chilean grapes... Wow, great I thought.. Well the next day I discovered they were not wine grapes but because wine is expensive here I need to get something started. So yesterday I crushed them and ended up with about 2 gallons of juice. I crushed and dissolved in warm water, 2 campden tablets and watched by blush color juice turn gray right before my eyes. I have stirred it about 6 times over the last 24 hours and the color is unchanged. I am afraid to continue and add the pectic enzyme, yeast nutrient and yeast if the sulfur is still embedded in the juice. Is the gray color a sign that the campden tablet has not dissipated enough to proceed? SG was 1.070 so I plan to add some sugar also but everything is on hold till I see what's up with the color.

One campden tablet will add approx. 75 ppm in 1 gallon of must, did you test the SO2 levels prior to adding it?
I'd leave the grapes skins in the must through fermentation, not only will it extract color from the skins, but it will also extract more flavor and some tannins. At this point, I'd continue, you really don't have anything to lose, even if the campden bleached out the color.

I have not had the campton change the color of my must before. However several people on here have had it happen to them. I guess it just happens. Don't worry about it and continue with the wine making as normel. Some of the color will come back. If not just dump in a can of grape juice concentrate for color in a few months time. It will add a little suger and flavor to the wine, stabalize or ferment out according to taste.


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Thanks for the advice. I just finished doctoring it and have the yeast starting in a cup. I like the grape juice idea. I put Red Star Champaign yeast in so I will let it go as low as it will go to allow a little sweetening. I usually shoot for about 1.002 SG.
The color has gone from gray to a light mud brown. The look is very unappetizing. But the taste is ok..
BTW.. I am at 7000' elevation. Have any idea if this will affect the fermentation?

Pumpkinman... I am really lacking on testing equipment. There were just more important things to put in my 6 suitcases when we moved here. I will be needing to find a shop or order from the US. On the campden tablet packaging it calls for 1 tablet per gallon. Good idea on the grape skins.
It really needs to turn out as the grapes cost me $30. Still scrounging for a secondary fermenter so I figure I have about 1 week to find something to airlock.