Other wine crystals/diamonds

[StBlGT]

So i have been reading about these and would like to prevent these from dropping out into the bottle. I also read about cold stabalizing. But, my question is, which kits usually through these? All kits....or just higher 16l/18l kits?

I have a 12l with dried grap skins metlot (rjs cru international) and a 12l sauvignon blanc (rjs cru international) bulk aging in my basement at 55 degrees.....do you think these will through them? Thanks.

 

[Putterrr]

I cant speak for the size of kits you mentioned but most of the 16-18L kits I make with grape skins (dry or wet but more diamonds with wet) drop crystals after sitting for 18-24 months. I also had one 18L white drop big honkin cristals the size of small peas. Freaked me out but the taste was fine. They are harmless and all my kits have tasted excellent.

cheers

 

[Boatboy24]

Be careful with cold stabilizing. In certain pH ranges, cold stabilization will actually make your wine more acidic. You mentioned you're bulk aging at 55 degrees. What are your storage temps after bottling? If they are 55 or higher, you probably won't see many crystals forming.

 

[StBlGT]

Boatboy, i will bulk age and store my bottles all at the same temp.....roughly 55-60 degrees, depending on the season. It is in my basement.

My concern is (not for reds, only whites) that if i bulk age and store bottles at those temps, then take a bottle to the fridge to chill an hour or so before drinking, that crystals will form in the bottle. Or will that not happen that quickly?

 

[Boatboy24]

Pretty sure it won't happen that quickly. If you're bulk aging over a winter and get a few weeks at the low end of your storage range, you should be fine.

And by the way: there's nothing wrong with a wine dropping crystals. Many commercial wines do as well.

 

[britwinemaker]

This may sound like a dumb question, but once a wine has dropped these crystals in a lower temperature cellar, can they then be re-absorbed by the wine if the temperature increases?

 

[Floandgary]

This may sound like a dumb question, but once a wine has dropped these crystals in a lower temperature cellar, can they then be re-absorbed by the wine if the temperature increases?

Typically you'd do a rack-over after cold stabilization and eliminate that possibility. However I do not believe the crystals will dissolve and recombine with the wine if left in there..

From Wikipedia;
Tartaric acid plays an important role chemically, lowering the pH of fermenting "must" to a level where many undesirable spoilage bacteria cannot live, and acting as a preservative after fermentation. In the mouth, tartaric acid provides some of the tartness in the wine, although citric and malic acids also play a role.

 

[wineh]

Boatboy, i will bulk age and store my bottles all at the same temp.....roughly 55-60 degrees, depending on the season. It is in my basement.

My concern is (not for reds, only whites) that if i bulk age and store bottles at those temps, then take a bottle to the fridge to chill an hour or so before drinking, that crystals will form in the bottle. Or will that not happen that quickly?

My Stag's Leap Merlot, Lodi Ranch Cab, and OV Zinfandel will all drop crystals after wintering in my crawl-space at the temperatures you mention. If you stand the bottle up for a day, they all go to the bottom of the bottle, and pouring slowly will leave them there, right to the bottom!