Crystals in bottled wine

[Splympton]

I have some Cabernet that has been bottled for over a year. I have been drinking this batch for the past 4-6 months, but noticed on the last two bottles that there was something in the bottom of the bottle which I thought looks like oak chips but was not. It turned out to be sugar crystals. Why is this happening?

 

[sour_grapes]

Why do you say "sugar"? Did you taste it?

My guess is that it is potassium bitartrate, aka Cream of Tartar. They are affectionately known as "wine diamonds" here on WMT. I believe that it is a precipation of excess potassium in your wine with tartaric acid.

 

[Nebbiolo020]

It’s more common to get “wine diamonds” with white wine than red but it’s nothing to worry about it happens frequently with wine.

 

[winemaker81]

Just pour the last bit carefully to leave the diamonds behind. They are unsightly and crunchy (not that I recommend eating them!), but are not a real problem.

 

[wineview]

I have some Cabernet that has been bottled for over a year. I have been drinking this batch for the past 4-6 months, but noticed on the last two bottles that there was something in the bottom of the bottle which I thought looks like oak chips but was not. It turned out to be sugar crystals. Why is this happening?

How long did you leave the wine in bulk?

 

[montanarick]

to get rid of tartrate crystals you either need to cold stabilize your wine or use metatartaric acid to neutralize it. do google search for cold stabilization parameters and dose for metatartaric acid. good luck

 

[Splympton]

How long did you leave the wine in bulk?

to get rid of tartrate crystals you either need to cold stabilize your wine or use metatartaric acid to neutralize it. do google search for cold stabilization parameters and dose for metatartaric acid. good luck

Thank you, i will do some research.

 

[winemaker81]

How long did you leave the wine in bulk?

I've bulk aged wine a year and had crystals drop a year after that. I figure Mother Nature or Dionysus was messing with me.

 

[wineview]

I've bulk aged wine a year and had crystals drop a year after that. I figure Mother Nature or Dionysus was messing with me.

Yeah someone was messing with you. A year sounds plenty long.

 

[Splympton]

I've bulk aged wine a year and had crystals drop a year after that. I figure Mother Nature or Dionysus was messing with me.

Thank you, i will do some research.

The wine is a Cabernet from Finer Wines and it sat in the carboy for 4 weeks.

 

[ratflinger]

You could decant the bottles through a wine filter into a carafe.

If you have the room and the equipment then let your wine sit in various carboys for 6 months plus before bottling.

 

[winemaker81]

The wine is a Cabernet from Finer Wines and it sat in the carboy for 4 weeks.

Crystals can drop at any time if the wine is oversaturated with tartrate.