wine sediments

[cnm]

Hi. I tried 2 bottles of red wine and i noticed that when the wine is almost finished, i could see some sediments in the bottle. it's grapelike powder ? Is it because the wine is too old ? or it was not kept in a proper cooling area. Wines are 1997 and 2001 . Sorry for my ignorance, just want to know what it is ? Thanks.

[Innkeeper]

Sediment in red wine is common. It partly is a by product of aging. It is also a characteristic of certain wines and the way they a made. The latter sometimes appears as large dark flakes. If you get the last or close to last bottle out of a barrel, you are also apt to get some junk in it. Mostly, but not always these wines come in high neck bottles. This allows you to catch the sediment if you slowly decant it. There will be some wine left in the bottom of the bottle that you will loose unless you filter it though a coffee filter or a specially made decanter funnel.

[Kcwhippet]

Most times, the sediment in reds as they age are the tannins. Basically, as the wine ages the tannin chains lengthen and become heavy enough to fall out of suspension. If you're into chemistry, think long chain polymers.

[cnm]

hey guys, thanks for your help. some of my friends were also asking me now i can explain to them. guess the wine we drank wasn't too bad at all.

Thanks a lot.