Tartaric Crystals

[BillK]

Has anybody had had Tartaric Crystals in their wines?
I made a Cabernet by US Elite at the early part of the year. I tried one or 2 bottles in the past couple of months. The last pour usually produces these on the bottom of the glass.


The wine is VERY good and drinkable. I will just have to filter the wine and decant before drinking.


I read that this means the wine is decent and time was taken to produce the wine, I have also read that the wine might have been stored too cold. Either way it is the Tartaric Acid falling out during aging.


Good, Bad? Any thoughts?


Article
http://ezinearticles.com/?Tartaric-Crystals-in-Wine:-the-Wine-Diamonds-of-Quality&id=134844

 

[Waldo]

I think you would be hard pressed to find many on here who have been making wine for any amount of time that have not experienced "wine diamonds" . Some do cold stabalize their wines which aids in the removal of tartaric acid in the wine.Other than visual they have no adverse effect on the wine.

 

[grapeman]

When drinking the wine, do like you would with a well crafted beer - just leave the last little bit in the bottom of the bottle after pouring most out into the glasses or decanter.

 

[Runningwolf]

I just started cold stabilizing everything except kit wines. Some wines have them and some do not.

 

[ibglowin]

I have yet to see it in any of my kit wines (red or white) but both my Cab Sauv and Merlot from fresh grapes that needed adjusting are dropping loads of it.

I will put both of these carboys in the Garage this Winter for a couple of weeks (Jan-Feb timeframe) where it can get well below freezing and hopefully get all of it out before I bottle next Fall.

 

[RickC]

I have wine diamonds in a MM AJ Amarone kit I made. No effect on the wine, just careful not to pour the last bit intosomeone elses glass other than mine. I also cold stabilized the last 3 higher end red kits I made in an old refrigerator in the garage.

 

[jerry]

I just started cold stabilizing everything except kit wines.
Some wines have them and some do not.

What is the best way to cold stabilize ? Will a carboy crack ?

 

[grapeman]

Jerry other than the airlock freezing, the carboy won't crack unless frozen solid and that would need to be well below freezing. The alcohol prevents the wine from freezing solid and only gets a bit slushy even at 10 degrees F. Put some vodka in the airlock and that wors as antifreeze and if any gets sucked into the carboy you will never know. I just place the wine where it gets to about 20 degrees F for a couple weeks.

 

[jerry]

appleman, do you use a freezer ?

 

[grapeman]

I don't need a freezer. I use Mother Nature's Deep Freeze. By December it is plenty cold enough to begin cold stabilizing. If you put it in a good sized unheated shed , garage, building- the ambient temps work pretty well. The temperatures vary a bit, but not a lot and by choosing the right time, you can get in the correct range and stay there for weeks.

 

[jerry]

Is there any other way than cold stabilization to stop this problem ?

 

[ibglowin]

Bulk age longer. Let it drop before bottling.

 

[jerry]

I do not think bulk aging will work. When I bottle it is very clear , then after a few months in the bottles crystals sometimes start to form. Is there anything I can add to the wine before bottling that will work, If not I will just have to get a small freezer that will fit a six gallon carboy. Most of my wine is crystal free, except for my concord.

 

[Runningwolf]

If you do go the freezer route ensure you get a new thermostat from George, just for that purpose.

 

[Wade E]

Metatartaric acid is supposed to hold this off for about 1 year and comes with RJS EP kits. It didnt hold it off for more then 5 months with my Amarone. I also have diamonds in my Orange Blossom Muscat.

 

[Runningwolf]

Does anyone use Potassium Bitartrates to seed their wine before cold stabilizing to cut the time down. For instance in a controlled environment like a freezer properly equip with a thermostat you could cut your time in half possibly.

 

[Wade E]

I havent had the need to do this besides those 2 kits but have read about that procedure many times and many people do use that method.

 

[Ankita]

I think you would be hard pressed to find many on here who have been making wine for any amount of time that have not experienced "wine diamonds" . Some do cold stabalize their wines which aids in the removal of tartaric acid in the wine. Other than visual they have no adverse effect on the wine. 

It is good to know about but I am still wondering about cold stabilize. I would like to know more on this.

 

[Wade E]

What is it you would like to know?