Cold Stablization

[Flame145]

I just started Cold Stablization 2 days ago. I put my barrel outside and its been a steady 25 - 30 degrees. I wanted to drop some of the acidity out. Last time I checked I was at 7.8 TA. Well anyway how long should I do Cold Stablization for ??? 2 weeks, 3 weeks. Ohh ya almost forgot, the wine is made from 90% Sangiovese grapes and 10 % zifindel grapes. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[Runningwolf]

I like to do carboys for two weeks at 25-28*. I know you don't want toopen you barrel up probably but how many days is it going to take just to get all of the juice down to temp?

 

[winemaker_3352]

I left mine in CS for 4 weeks.

 

[Flame145]

I like to do carboys for two weeks at 25-28*. I know you don't want toopen you barrel up probably but how many days is it going to take just to get all of the juice down to temp?

This is my first time doing cold stabilization, so i apologize if this is a stupid question. What do you mean by opening the barrel and letting it come to temperature ??
My plan was to keep outside for 3 to 4 weeks, bring back in garage which stays at 60˚ , then rack. Continue with bulk aging after racking.
Its been roughly 25˚ to 30˚ outside steady.

 

[Fuegofan]

I put my carboy in the garage for two weeks, where it hung out at 32 degrees +- 2. I don't know if it's the 2 or 3 months it spent at 58 in the basement first, or that two weeks, or both, but the acidity is soooooooo much better now. I'm working with 100% Frontenac grapes, and after the first racking it was still really sour--puckery really. Now it's a nice, bright wine. After racking it off the lees, I'm leaving it in the basement until May or June, when I'll bottle.

 

[Wade E]

Was it lees or crunchy wine diamonds?

 

[Fuegofan]

You know, my friend said he could see the tartaric acid. I never saw anything that looked like salt crystals or any other kind of crystal. We also had a 1.5 L bottle that was just hanging out in the basement (same stuff as in the 5 gal carboy) and when I held it up to the light, it was all sparkly. What do these wine diamonds look like? This is my first winemakeing experience.

 

[Runningwolf]

Today when I cleaned them out of my carboys after racking they were compacted on the bottom of the carboy and came out in large crispy flakes. In your bottles the crystals from very small to a small potato chip size. Here is an example of crystals poured into a glass.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Add water and see if they inflate into a dinosaur

 

[djrockinsteve]

I just started Cold Stablization 2 days ago. I put my barrel outside and its been a steady 25 - 30 degrees. I wanted to drop some of the acidity out. Last time I checked I was at 7.8 TA. Well anyway how long should I do Cold Stablization for ??? 2 weeks, 3 weeks. Ohh ya almost forgot, the wine is made from 90% Sangiovese grapes and 10 % zifindel grapes. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

It's important first of all to get an acurate reading for the acid test. At that cold watch it carefully especially if you have an airlock on it with water.

Did these grapes get picked early or were they from an area having a high acid content in the dirt?

 

[ibglowin]

Wine Diamonds........

Only available in PA!

 

[ffemt128]

I've been dropping crystals in my whates the past 1 1/2 months. Temps in my area get into the 40's at night and up to low 50's when the furnace is on and we are home. I was considering placing these outside my basement door in the enclosed stairwell to see if anything else is going to drop out. I may place my Muscadine out there also. Need to let it warm up a bit, I don't think 3 degrees is CS temps.

 

[Wade E]

Is it colder right by the door?

 

[ffemt128]

Is it colder right by the door?

I'm sure it is, very drafty sandstone foundation. I could probably set un a milk crate by the door for a couple weeks. I'll have to put a thermometer overthere this afternoon and clear a walkway. I have cases of empty bottles stacked in the way now.

 

[Lurker]

When I cold stabilize, I use a small apartment size fridge for gallons. I set it to 30 degrees and leave for 1 month, then rack before it warms up. There are always crystals in the bottom.

 

[surlees]

CS can be accomplished inexpensively by keeping it in the cold either outside, in a cold basement, or cold garage, but the absolutely best way is to use a freezer/refrigerator set at ~28F and leave it in at least 2 weeks. The reason most CS is done is to avoid wine diamonds. The typical scenario is someone who has been given or (as in the case of commercial wines) purchased a wine and placed it in a refrigerator for several weeks. Unless or until you can duplicate the refrigerator environment for this amount of time you're still at risk for a few wine diamonds.

Fred

 

[countrygirl]

Today when I cleaned them out of my carboys after racking they were compacted on the bottom of the carboy and came out in large crispy flakes. In your bottles the crystals from very small to a small potato chip size. Here is an example of crystals poured into a glass.

that's exactly what mine looked like, only more brown, less red.

 

[Wade E]

To bad we couldnt get rich of these!!

 

[Runningwolf]

I was considering placing these outside my basement door in the enclosed stairwell to see if anything else is going to drop out. I may place my Muscadine out there also. Need to let it warm up a bit, I don't think 3 degrees is CS temps.

Doug, I disagree with the 3* temperature. I would add some Potassium bitartrate and set it out there in a milk crate with Vodka in the air lock. Its going to take a while to get your wine down to temp and a whole lot longer before you really have to worry about it freezing. It will get slushy though. With the addition of Potassium bitartrate my guess is you will be done cold stabilizing in 5-7 days. Keep an eye on it though. Keep the carboy in the crate when you brig it back in as to not bump the cold glass and let it slowly come back to temp. I usually wait a day before racking off the diamonds.

 

[ffemt128]

Doug, I disagree with the 3* temperature. I would add some Potassium bitartrate and set it out there in a milk crate with Vodka in the air lock. Its going to take a while to get your wine down to temp and a whole lot longer before you really have to worry about it freezing. It will get slushy though. With the addition of Potassium bitartrate my guess is you will be done cold stabilizing in 5-7 days. Keep an eye on it though. Keep the carboy in the crate when you brig it back in as to not bump the cold glass and let it slowly come back to temp. I usually wait a day before racking off the diamonds.

the temp in the stairwell after 30 minutes took the thermometer to about 24 degrees, I'm going to stick it out there and see what happens. Its in a better bottle now and I'll put some vodka or rum in the airlock. Not sure if I have vodka.