Wine diamonds in barrel

[tonyt]

I just racked a MMMeglioli Amarone out of my 2 1/2 year old 23ltr Vidia barrel. The Amarone was in the barrel for three months. After racking while rinsing the barrel with hot water I noticed several dark flakes coming out of the barrel rinse water. I suspected and then confirmed by touch and taste that they were in fact flakes of wine diamonds. This is about the tenth red wine to go through this barrel. But this is the first time I have noticed any diamonds. I have in the past noticed small black chips of barrel char, especially after the first several batches. I rinsed till I didn't feel any more diamonds would dislodge easily (about 6 rinsings) then rinsed one more time with sanitizing solution and let set closed for an hour or so. My normal rinsings between batches are rather thorough to the point where I have never considered further cleaning and I have never had the barrel empty for more than an hour to let sanitizing vapors work.

I have now racked another wine into the barrel but am wondering if more vigorous cleaning was in order.

 

[ibglowin]

They should break loose pretty easily with a hose sprayer and some pressure. You really only have to hit the side (bottom) of the barrel as that's where they will all settle out. I have seen my share of them as well especially after a winter as the winery will get down to 50-55 for about 6 months or so. Cold stabilization without refrigeration!

 

[tonyt]

So I cold stabilized this MMM Amarone for three weeks and racked and bottled today. The bottom and up the sides one and a half inch was covered in wine diamonds. At first I thought I must have forgotten to clear and rack this wine. In fact it was cleared, racked, aged and barrel aged since early March. I have never had to scrub a carboy so much as I did today to get that thick layer of diamonds released. This kit came with 23 ltr of juice, wet grape pack and dried raisins, I used all. Added a couple ounces of untoasted American dist in primary and 5gr of FT Rouge. After barreling three months I added 4oz glycerin and 4oz simple syrup. Aged till today and bottled. It doesn't have much aroma yet (expected) but lots and lots of fruit. Tannins are already surprisingly lush and the mouthfeel is supple. I marked a bottle for Cellermasters competition in 2015, we'll see whtat the California folks think about it in a couple years.

 

[tonyt]

I forgot to mention that a month ago in order to cold stabilize I racked down to a five gallon carboy. At that time I bottled the extra in a double magnum. I better mark that bottle to decant carefully in a few years that it may be full of diamonds by then since it wasn't part of the CS process.