Sugar?

[grits]

i just opened a bottle of zinfandel and the bottom of the cork and around the inside of neck of bottle was gritty stuff that resembles sugar or sand... is this something I need to worry about?

[Thomas]

No. It is tartaric acid crystal precipitate that can happen when the wine is chilled too cold.

[grits]

Thanks for the info... i keep my wine in a Danby wine cellar. I will adjust the temperature.

[Botafogo]

If the wine is unfiltered and not cold stabilized then it may do this at room temp. We have a Primitivo that grows a "crystal city" maybe 3/8 of an inch thick on every cork! Does anyone else remember when Deinhard used to take big ads promoting how "wine diamonds" (these same crystals are VERY common in quality German wine) were your "seal of quality"???

Roberto