Sounds like "wine jewels" which are tartrate crystals. I've never seen it in
apple wine as the main acid in apples is malic. Did you add acid blend?


"pheasant16" > wrote in message
...
> Racked our apple wine about Christmas time. Will bottle if the weather
> ever breaks here. The 3 gallon carboy and gallon jugs with normal
> airlocks have very fine settlings on the bottom. Wine is clear as a bell.
>
> Had not quite a gallon left so we filled 4 wine bottles and stuck balloons
> over the mouths. Nice clear settlings just like above, but have noticed
> in the last couple weeks little bumps on the bottom. Looks kind of like
> sand grains is about as close an analogy as I can come up with.
>
> Bottles were washed and rinsed with sterilizer just like the carboy and
> gallon jugs. Only difference is the balloon instead of airlock.
>
> Ideas??
>
> Thanks