RJ Spagnols Tartrate Crystals

[foursons]

Hello everyone,

I made an en primeur Australian Shiraz and Italian Amarone from RJ.

Its been good 6 months now since bottling. When I opened the bottle, There were a lot of tartrate acid.

I did some research and found that I had a choice to do a cold stabilization. Would it be a good idea to do it for kit wines? And for red wines?

Ps I dont mind the crystals but it just got way too out of hand because they are coating the whole glass to the point of being very inconvenient to drink

thanks in advance

 

[djrockinsteve]

Normally you would rack off of the crystals after aging and back sweetening. This would leave the tartaric crystals behind.

If you allow the wine to rest a few months in a cool area they will dissipate out of the wine. Cold stabilizing can also be done. No problem.

 

[Boatboy24]

Did you use the metatartaric acid? This is supposed to keep the crystals in suspension for up to a year. I've only done two EP kits, and I did cold stabilize both of them. I had a fair amount of crystals in the carboy afterward.

Going forward, you can just pour through a screen to catch the sediment with the rest of this batch.

 

[foursons]

Thanks Jim, that was the missing piece.... I thought because it didnt illustrate on the instruction to put the metatratic acid in, I always threw it out.

Can I still add the package in after the crystals have formed??

 

[salcoco]

cold stabilization of a wine is usually done to adjust the acid profile of the wine. it is not recommended for kit wines as these wine have been balanced in acid sugar etc.
I would think that with wines that have been cold stabilized will be flat and dull as they are to low in acid. cold stabilizing is usually done at about 30-40 degF , wine should not be stored at this low a temp. suggest a wine cooler set at 55-60 deg f for wine ready for consumption. cellar temp up to 70 are okay if temp variance is small.

 

[foursons]

What about cellar classics? Do they create as much crystals as the en primeur??

 

[vacuumpumpman]

If the mother nature plays nice in the fall or spring I will put all my wine - early or ready to bottle - out in the shed an temps between 25-40 degrees. I will typically fill the air locks with vodka and take a blanket and toss over the carboys to stop excessive fluctuation in temps.

Typically I will leave them out there for approx 4 weeks if possible

 

[Chateau Joe]

I read that WinExpert stabilizes their wine before shipping out to prevent that from happening. If you used to that brand you would not expect it to happen.

Most people follow the directions of the kit and bottle in 8-10 weeks like you are supposed to. No one expects wine crystals to drop because most other kits are stabilized. Every Spagnols red I have made has formed crystals in the bottle (my cellar is cold in the winter).

It is kind of irritating.