Does anybody have any suggestions for me to prevent tartaric acid
crystals from forming? I realize that they don't affect taste, but
thy're still unsightly. Last year, I put all of my whites through a
3-4 week cold stabilization over the winter (in Maryland), and a lot
of acid crystalized out. Six months later, I bottled...perfectly
clear. But now, about another 6-9 months later, the whites all have
wine diamonds.

Any thoughts? By the way, most of my whites are in the 3.1-3.3 pH
range.

Lee

On May 22, 1:04 pm, Lee > wrote:
> Does anybody have any suggestions for me to prevent tartaric acid
> crystals from forming? I realize that they don't affect taste, but
> thy're still unsightly. Last year, I put all of my whites through a
> 3-4 week cold stabilization over the winter (in Maryland), and a lot
> of acid crystalized out. Six months later, I bottled...perfectly
> clear. But now, about another 6-9 months later, the whites all have
> wine diamonds.
>
> Any thoughts? By the way, most of my whites are in the 3.1-3.3 pH
> range.
>
> Lee

Lee,
You can add cream of tartar to the wine to help with the
precipitation. The colder you can get it the better also.

Joe

Joe Sallustio wrote:
> On May 22, 1:04 pm, Lee > wrote:
>
>>Does anybody have any suggestions for me to prevent tartaric acid
>>crystals from forming? I realize that they don't affect taste, but
>>thy're still unsightly. Last year, I put all of my whites through a
>>3-4 week cold stabilization over the winter (in Maryland), and a lot
>>of acid crystalized out. Six months later, I bottled...perfectly
>>clear. But now, about another 6-9 months later, the whites all have
>>wine diamonds.
>>
>>Any thoughts? By the way, most of my whites are in the 3.1-3.3 pH
>>range.
>>
>>Lee
>
>
> Lee,
> You can add cream of tartar to the wine to help with the
> precipitation. The colder you can get it the better also.
>
> Joe
>
Joe is correct, best to add the cream of Tartar when the wine is as cold
as you can get it. Then if possible once the tartar has settled filter
the wine. This helps remove any tartrate in suspension.

Well, I will disagree with wone thing you said, at least in a round about
way. The tartaric crystals will not effect the taste of the wine. The fact
that they come out will effect the taste of your wine. It will soften it
when the right amount is taken out. You can force precipitate it by adding
cream of tarter but you risk removing too much and ending with a flat
tasting wine. I personally do not consider them unsightly. I consider them
part of a properly aged wine. It just takes learning how to properly
decant the wine so they do not end in the glass. If you do not want to
waste the last half inch of wine in the bottle, then pore it in your own
glass.

Ray


"Lee" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Does anybody have any suggestions for me to prevent tartaric acid
> crystals from forming? I realize that they don't affect taste, but
> thy're still unsightly. Last year, I put all of my whites through a
> 3-4 week cold stabilization over the winter (in Maryland), and a lot
> of acid crystalized out. Six months later, I bottled...perfectly
> clear. But now, about another 6-9 months later, the whites all have
> wine diamonds.
>
> Any thoughts? By the way, most of my whites are in the 3.1-3.3 pH
> range.
>
> Lee
>

"Ray Calvert" > wrote in message
t...
> The tartaric crystals will not effect the taste of the wine. The fact
> that they come out will effect the taste of your wine.

Hmmm, respectfully, Ray, seems like some sort of contradiction there.

Doesn't seem contradictory to me. What he is saying, I believe, is
that the crystals in and of themselves are tasteless. But by causing
their precipitation the winemaker is reducing the total acidity -
which affects the wine.


> "Ray Calvert" > wrote in message
> t...
>> The tartaric crystals will not effect the taste of the wine. The
>> fact that they come out will effect the taste of your wine.

> Hmmm, respectfully, Ray, seems like some sort of contradiction
> there.
>
>

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