RJ Spagnols Does the RJS EP Sauvignon Blanc drop wine crystals

[Gekko4321]

I am making a RJS EP SB and having cold stabilization issues. I always hear the better the juice, the more likely crystals will drop. Has anyone who has made this particular wine noted crystals?

 

[Dean]

it drops LOTS of crystals. All EPs should be stabilized if aging over 1 year for sure. Otherwise, you can use the metatartaric acid they provide to prevent crystals, but it only works for the first year. After that, you will have a lot of diamonds.

 

[TomK-B]

Dean, when you say "All EP's should be stabilized if aging over 1 year," do you mean cold stabilization? This is something more than the stabilization stage of the instructions, right?

 

[Gekko4321]

Dean, I have a fridge that ranges from 32-42 in temp and after 3 weeks no crystals have dropped. What do you recommend I do?

 

[TomK-B]

The reason I ask is that I have the EP Amarone in primary right now and it sounds like I am going to be needing to make plans to do the cold stabilization if I don't want crystals in my Amarone. Is that right?

 

[Gekko4321]

Wade says that wine drops a lot of crystals. See this:
http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15823

 

[Wade E]

Did you by any chnce add that bitartrate package? That is there to prevent the acids from falling out so adding that package and then putting it in the fridge would prevent or greatly slow down the stabilizing process. My EP Amarone dropped quite a bit just being in my cellar which stays round 55 - 65 depending on time of year.

 

[v1rotate]

The reason I ask is that I have the EP Amarone in primary right now and it sounds like I am going to be needing to make plans to do the cold stabilization if I don't want crystals in my Amarone. Is that right?

Yes! If you don't want crystals in a high end red kit, you should cold stabilize. OTOH, I don't mind the crystals, just the sediment I have been getting lately. That problem was probably caused by not enough bulk aging time. But I think you definitely need to cold stabilize to avoid crystals.

 

[Gekko4321]

Wade, there was no bitatrate package in my EP SB kit. Are you referring to the metatartic acid packet? No, I have not added that and was not going to but will probably now that I got no fallout. In fact, I may have to bulk age it now just to buy some more time. I figure bulk age for 6 months then add metatartic then maybe I have a year if the crystals do feel like showing up eventually. Good plan?

 

[Sipper]

Dean,,,, that raises a question for me, so excuse me for showing my ignorance, but,,,,, if you filter when you bottle, and use a screened aerator to decant, doesit or does it not take care of removing wine diamonds?

 

[Gekko4321]

I can help with this only thru reading most of the posts on this topic. Filtering has nothing to do with wine diamonds. You will still get them if you filter. Diamonds form, versus filtering, which takes current residuals out. Yes you can decant to leave crystals behind. So if your making wine for your own consumption and do not mind explaining the crystals if giving to others, then I would not worry about them at all. It is said it is a sign of quality and they do not hurt the wine. I want them gone cause I want my wine to look as good as any wine on the wine store shelf and do not want to explain them to others.

 

[v1rotate]

Dean,,,, that raises a question for me, so excuse me for showing my ignorance, but,,,,, if you filter when you bottle, and use a screened aerator to decant, doesit or does it not take care of removing wine diamonds?

Not Dean, sorry. Buy it seems to me that the screened aerator should filter out the wine diamonds.

 

[Wade E]

If you are talking about using this screened aerator before the crystals fall out then no is the answer and you wouldnt want to try and get them out by filtering anyway. This is acid in your wine and if you were able to remove them this way you would most likely screw up you wine and extract too much acid. Gekko, yes I was referring to the metataric packet. I would bulk age it as long as you can stand and then add that packet right before bottling if you dont want the crystals in there.

 

[Dean]

Sorry for the late replies everyone.

Crystals form over time. Filtering will only remove them *if* they've already formed. This is also a white wine, and usually those are not decanted, but yes, you can run them through a screen just before serving to remove the diamonds.

Also, if you've added the metatartaric acid, you'll be waiting over a year for crystals to form, even IF you cold stabilize. Wade has the process right. Bulk age without adding the metatartaric acid, and cold stabilize if possible. Add the metatartaric acid right before bottling if you did not get to cold stabilize.

 

[Sipper]

Thanks Wade but I'm confused now???? Why would I want to use a screened aerator before the crystals fall out????? Seems to me that the only time you would use a screened aerator is when you are pouring out of a bottle into a decanter, or a wine glass???????? Maybe I wasn't clear on my question, but I think v1rotate already answered it anyway.

 

[Sipper]

OK,,,,, as usual, I posted a reply/question right before Dean answered it. Just as soon as I hit the "post" button, I saw Dean's response. Wade, dont bother with my last question. Now I understand what you were getting at.
Sipper

 

[Wade E]

Well then how in the world am I supposed to keep my post count up!!! Oh, I guess that worked!!! LOL

 

[Jackie]

Filtering alone won't remove wine crystals--they form when the wine is cold.
Filtering does not remove dissolved solids. I've filtered and still had sediment drop later which is very aggravating to me so I now bulk age reds atleast one year. I cold stabilize all high end white kits--some form crystals and some do not. If I leave it in the fridge for 3 weeks and no crystals then I assume I'm good to go (I put the fridge on coldest setting so it's around 32 degrees. A little cream of tartar will help speed up the process but I only do that if I'm in a hurry.

 

[Wade E]

Jackie, I believe the drop out you had was actually color fall out. This happens with even commercial wines and is usually a stain on the glass rather then a sediment that is easily disturbed. Scotts Lab products sells it and I believe Runningwolf knows where to get smaller quantities of this. This is a presentation problem at most.
http://scottlab.com/product-318.aspx

 

[Jackie]

The drop out looked like sand on the side of bottle of the red wine where it settled. I don't think it was color. Not much though (maybe the size of a quarter)--but still aggravating to me. I had submitted one to a contest and they said it had a few "floaters". Haven't had that problem since I changed to longer bulk aging.