Add Calcium Carbonate After the Fact?

[jonereb]

I posted the following question in the Muscadine Wine thread, but thought I'd start a new thread specifically about this issue.

My 2016 muscadine wine is too tart. Can I add calcium carbonate NOW? What if I uncork my bottles of tart wine, siphon into a gallon jug with calcium carbonate, and let it set for a few months. Then bottle again. Good idea? Bad idea?

 

[jgmillr1]

For grape based wine, you are better off using potassium bicarbonate than calcium carbonate. The calcium can SLOWLY bind with the tartaric acid and throw precipitates for 6 months.

The deacidifying is immediate. Just be sure you add more sulfites and allow the carbon dioxide to be released from the wine before rebottling.

 

[jonereb]

Can both potassium bicarbonate and calcium carbonate be used? And why one over the other?

 

[jgmillr1]

Both can be used but the calcium will precipitate very slowly as calcium tartrate crystals whereas potassium bitartrate crystals precipitate fast when you chill it.

It is only a question of whether you can of you have crystals at the bottom of your bottle and how long you have to wait until it is stable.

 

[jonereb]

After I use a titration kit and adjust wine accordingly, how long should I wait before retesting just to make sure I'm in range?

 

[jgmillr1]

The chemical reaction is pretty much immediate. Just be sure to stir the wine well enough to get a representative sample for retest. Or wait until the next day and diffusion will take care of the mixing for you.

 

[RPh_Guy]

I've heard calcium carbonate negatively impacts flavor. ?