Sugar granules reforming in wine when bottled

[bevo]

:evil: Hello, I have made a couple of wines from elderberries and blackberries.
The wine brewed fine etc and tastes fine but I have noticed that sugar granules have reformed in the bottles after a couple of months since I bottled the wine.
I am sure there were no granules in the wine when I bottled it.
Does anyone know what may have caused this?
Thanks in advance, Bevo

 

[Wez]

Hi bevo & welcome to the forum :thumb:

I'm not a wine maker myself but we do have several experienced wine makers on the forum who will be able to answer your question.

It's a question i've not seen before, what temperature are the bottles stored at, could that play a part? :wha:

 

[percival]

Are you sure they are sugar crystals? was the wine very sweet when you bottled it?

 

[bevo]

Hello Gents,
the wine is stored in my garage attached to the house. Could it be too cold in there?

The wine was not sweet and had fully fermented out. I checked the gravity before bottling and it had stood for a few weeks to clear.

I added the sugar to boiling water in the fermenting bucket when I made the wine and just stirred it in. Is it ok to do this or do I need to boil the water more after the sugar is added before adding to the bucket?

Thanks for your help,
Bevo

 

[KevP]

You did it ok, although its generally preferred to ensure its fully dissolved before going into the demi or fv.

If it was very cold it could be a chill haze, where the proteins come out of suspension, a few hours in a warm warm should clear it.

 

[percival]

ok from what you say i doubt that they are sugar crystals, and i agree with kev P; your method is ok. I usually dissolve my sugar in hot water before adding it, just easier to check its dissloved but its only a point of minor detail. I don't think your problem is a haze tho, is that correct? from what i gather your wine is clear but has some crystals at the bottom?

i just did a single quick google ...."crystals in wine" before i got to the bottom of the first 10 results listed tartaric acid or tartrate crystals were mentioned a few times. Did you add tartaric acid along with citric and possibly malic? If so this is far more likely to be the 'problem' than sugar crystals. Good news is that its not really a problem, your wine will still taste fine, just decant it off the crystals before you serve it. I don't know how much tartaric acid is naturally present in elderberries and blackberries, a quick google probably inform you, so if you didn't add tartaric acid then i don't know if this could still be the identity of the crystals.

Tartaric acid is recommended by many wine makers, its said to enhance the vinous character of the wine and also to help with clarity/brilliance. There's probably other good reasons for using it too.

 

[percival]

a couple of links for you

http://www.thewinedoctor.com/advisory/tastefaulty.shtml
check the 'Sediments and Crystals' section near the bottom of the page

http://www.wine-lovers-page.com/cgi-bin ... a.cgi?q=38
you'll like this one very short read

 

[bevo]

Thanks gents, I think Percival is right and it is tartrate crystals.
They look like sugar granules but I tasted them and they were not as sweet as sugar.
It is pretty cold in the garage which wont help.
I did not add any acid so any acid is from the fruit.
I just added pectolase.
I will just decant it.
The good news is I can still drinkit!!!!!!
Cheers. Bevo :P