Sand like stuff in lees

I transferred a red wine into secondary last night and I decided to dump everything from the fermenter down the drain and strain the oak chips out to throw out. On the side of my carboy and on the oak chips I noticed what looked like sand. It was clear and I could crush it with my teeth. The wine is a red of unknown variety that I made from a concentrate that was given to me. Is this normal?

I had the same thing happen with a red wine I made last year. I'm guessing its some kind of acid crystals. Did you notice any acidity when you tasted them? Probably not a problem, just less acidity.

Wine Diamonds or potassium (calcium) bitartrate.

I would cold stabilize the wine for a week or so then add some metatartaric acid (sp?) a few days before bottling. Cold stablizing will allow the bitartrate crystals to form and fall out, and the metatartaric acid will keep the ones that don't is suspension.

I think that is how it works I have read so much material in the last few months that it all kind of runs together. If I am wrong someone please point it out as I am new at this.

Crush it with your teeth??????

"Hey, look...some unknown sand-like stuff...think I'll put it in my mouth. Hope it isn't poisonous or taste too much like poo? Hmmm, softer than sand and only a slight hint of poo. Guess it isn't poisonous because I'm still alive."

Think I would have found a different way of testing its texture.

DoctorCAD said:

Crush it with your teeth??????

"Hey, look...some unknown sand-like stuff...think I'll put it in my mouth. Hope it isn't poisonous or taste too much like poo? Hmmm, softer than sand and only a slight hint of poo. Guess it isn't poisonous because I'm still alive."

Think I would have found a different way of testing its texture.

Click to expand...

HAHA that's what I was thinking too.

DoctorCAD said:

Crush it with your teeth??????

"Hey, look...some unknown sand-like stuff...think I'll put it in my mouth. Hope it isn't poisonous or taste too much like poo? Hmmm, softer than sand and only a slight hint of poo. Guess it isn't poisonous because I'm still alive."

Think I would have found a different way of testing its texture.

Click to expand...

+1

Really though the worst it could have done is tasted like crap.

DoctorCAD said:

Crush it with your teeth??????

"Hey, look...some unknown sand-like stuff...think I'll put it in my mouth. Hope it isn't poisonous or taste too much like poo? Hmmm, softer than sand and only a slight hint of poo. Guess it isn't poisonous because I'm still alive."

Think I would have found a different way of testing its texture.

Click to expand...

I LOLed!