Crystals on top of My Chianti

Lurker · 12-24-2009, 03:57 PM

Hello gentleman & ladies, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays & Happy New Year to all. May all have a blessed Christmas and a safe new year.

I have a wonderful tasting Chilean Chianti from a 6 gal. bucket from Genos that I started 5.5.09. I started it with 1½ tsps of K Meta. The balling was 22.5 (1.093 SG), room temp 60ºF, 3.57 pH, RC 212 yeast the next day. Into secondary at balling 6 (1.023), pH 3.00, wine temp 72º. Racked June 24th with the pH at 3.15, SO2 was 50 ppm. I added 2 tspns of pot. Bicarbonate, & 6 oz. of glycerine, Super Kleer & pectic enzymes. Racked in Sept. and added 3 campdens.
Oct. 5th, pH 3.53, SO2 50ppm. Racked into 4 gals and 6 bottles. The gals. to sit for a while, the bottles for me. The first bottle was harsh which I attributed to bottle shock. Now, the wine is excellent but in 2 of the bottles there are some tiny crystals on top of the wine. Can anyone explain the crystals. They do not seem to effect the taste.

Thanks,
Rich L.

Racer · 12-24-2009, 04:51 PM

Except for the part of being on top of the wine it sounds like you have "wine diamonds" or an excess of tartaric acid that came out of suspension and formed into crystals on you. Did the wine get chilled down in temp. during storage?

xanxer82 · 12-24-2009, 05:00 PM

Tartaric Acid Crystals are what they most likely are.

Lurker · 12-25-2009, 03:01 AM

Thats what I thought, but the temp is 60 F, which I think is little too warm to drop tartrate. Also, it is on top of only 2 of 5 bottles and I saw nothing on the bottom.

Richard L.

Racer · 12-25-2009, 04:41 AM

Well if it makes you feel any better I have had tartaric drop out of suspension during primary fermentation and be stuck to the sides of the bucket.

If there is something in the wine that it can form on tartartic can be pulled out of the wine and form crystals like you are seeing.

Wade E · 12-25-2009, 04:54 AM

If they are crystal like then wine diamonds is the only thing that comes to mind, it is weird that they are floating though, must not have had enough seeding to gather up enough to settle out and fall.

ugh · 12-25-2009, 12:07 PM

I get them also..I found them last year in my Pinot Nior on the bottom of the carboy and this year I found them when I racked the Pinot Grigio for the second time but on the sides of the carboy. My basement is cold in the winter though..50 to 55 degrees most of the time

Wade E · 12-25-2009, 01:08 PM

Thats what settles them out is the colder temps.

Lurker · 12-25-2009, 04:47 PM

Thank you for the info. I guess thats what it is. No problem, I'll just keep those bottles for myself.

Thanks again and great holidays for you,
Richard L.

Lurker · 02-08-2010, 06:56 PM

I'm guessing that it was wine diamonds. However, ABSOLUTLY GREAT WINE. My goal is to be better than some commercials. This is wine is the best I have made and as good as it gets. I cannot wait until I have the same problem again.

12-24-2009, 05:00 PM	#3
xanxer82 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Westminster, Maryland Posts: 846	Tartaric Acid Crystals are what they most likely are. __________________ Dan - Westminster, MD Primary: Skeet Pee & Pinot Noir Kegged: Beer! - American Cream Ale Secondary: Grand Cru Barolo - Dandelion - Red Zinfandel - Apple -GC Merlot - Pinot Grigio On Deck : None En Route : Nada

02-08-2010, 06:56 PM	#10
Lurker Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Bellmawr, New Jersey Posts: 283	I'm guessing that it was wine diamonds. However, ABSOLUTLY GREAT WINE. My goal is to be better than some commercials. This is wine is the best I have made and as good as it gets. I cannot wait until I have the same problem again. __________________ Today is a good day. Richard L. He who dies with the most toys, wins!

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12-24-2009, 04:51 PM	#2
Racer Future vineyard owner Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 472	Except for the part of being on top of the wine it sounds like you have "wine diamonds" or an excess of tartaric acid that came out of suspension and formed into crystals on you. Did the wine get chilled down in temp. during storage?

12-25-2009, 03:01 AM	#4
Lurker Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Bellmawr, New Jersey Posts: 283	Thats what I thought, but the temp is 60 F, which I think is little too warm to drop tartrate. Also, it is on top of only 2 of 5 bottles and I saw nothing on the bottom. Richard L.

12-25-2009, 04:41 AM	#5
Racer Future vineyard owner Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 472	Well if it makes you feel any better I have had tartaric drop out of suspension during primary fermentation and be stuck to the sides of the bucket. If there is something in the wine that it can form on tartartic can be pulled out of the wine and form crystals like you are seeing.

12-25-2009, 04:54 AM	#6
Wade E Administrator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Middlebury, Connecticut Posts: 7,752	If they are crystal like then wine diamonds is the only thing that comes to mind, it is weird that they are floating though, must not have had enough seeding to gather up enough to settle out and fall.

12-25-2009, 12:07 PM	#7
ugh Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Port St Lucie, Florida Posts: 49	I get them also..I found them last year in my Pinot Nior on the bottom of the carboy and this year I found them when I racked the Pinot Grigio for the second time but on the sides of the carboy. My basement is cold in the winter though..50 to 55 degrees most of the time

12-25-2009, 01:08 PM	#8
Wade E Administrator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Middlebury, Connecticut Posts: 7,752	Thats what settles them out is the colder temps.

12-25-2009, 04:47 PM	#9
Lurker Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Bellmawr, New Jersey Posts: 283	Thank you for the info. I guess thats what it is. No problem, I'll just keep those bottles for myself. Thanks again and great holidays for you, Richard L.