In a society of instant gratification, it is hard to appreciate the little things that took time and care to create. Wine diamonds are an extraordinary sight.
They are not diamonds but rather crystals of potassium bitartrate that has precipitated (fallen) out of solution (wine).
For consumers, it is important to know that these ‘diamonds’ are not harmful, wine spoilage, broken glass, or liquid botulinum toxin. They are a physical sign that the wine in the bottle is ready and willing to be enjoyed.
The foundation of the wine diamond is found in the grape while it is still in the vineyard. As the ripening process occurs, the chemical balance of the fruit is constantly maturing. The juice that is expressed from the grapes will always have the potential to form wine diamonds.
In the bottle, wine diamonds will occur when wine has not been cold stabilized. For all intents and purposes, cold stabilization means that wine is chilled down and held at very cold temperatures forcing tartrates out of solution; thus, resulting in the reduction of excess bitter acids.
In small boutique winery settings it is often difficult to perform full cold stabilization due to the expense of energy. Therefore, the likelihood of finding diamonds in your wine will generally occur in smaller production facilities.
However, do not fret…
Remember that old say about a diamond in the rough?
Cold stabilization is fine and dandy, but can also produce a ‘lesser’ wine. A ‘lesser’ wine meaning that in the process of cold stabilization the natural beauty and innocence that occurs in aging a wine is lost.
This just so happens to be one of those tragic “What if” scenarios….
We all know that you can not dwell on the “What if”. The beauty of wine is not in the manipulation of the product, but the ability of nature to create such a gift.
It takes a lot for me to admit it (given my impatient red headed roots) but I am hoping that with age comes wisdom.
Don’t lose a diamond while chasing glitter.
In the end it all boils down to what you want. Do you want to drink your wine today? or whenever the wine is ready for you to drink it?
From the farm to the city and back this is my journey as a wife, sommelier, wine nerd, horticulturist, marketing director, and glutton for gourmet.
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The Journey of Lily
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