Hey all, wine noob here so forgive my ignorance. I bought this bottle of wine as a gift and it looks slightly cloudy. Is this normal or is it actually just the glass? There's also some debris in the bottle but from what I can see online that's likely to be normal for a slightly older wine? I'd appreciate any insight. It's a bottle from 2019. Thanks.
by -Po-Tay-Toes-
5 Comments
Natural byproduct, tartrate crystals (aka wine diamonds) post no harm to you.
I see that as a good sign that the wine hasn’t been processed and filtered to death.
Pet Nat (smaller batch low intervention / natural fermentation wine)
Should be fine if stored correctly you’ll know when you open it/taste if it’s gone funky but doubtful it has.
You have made an interesting choice as a wine novice. I did a quick google: this is a natural wine. That means: probably fermented without pure yeasts, but only the yeasts that occur on the grape and in the cellar. It is also customary not to filter the wines or to filter them only a little (which is why the wine looks relatively cloudy). Tartrate deposits (the crystals on the bottom) are a natural process and do not affect the taste. So don’t worry, the clouding and the sediment are not a sign of a flaw, but a result of natural winemaking.
As far as the taste is concerned, you can only try it yourself. Natural wines can taste a little particular, but this depends very much on the producer. For me personally, it’s usually not my cup of tea, but that’s just a matter of taste. If you’re not sure, open it and try it. A small note: I don’t personally know the wine itself, I’m just talking about natural wines in general.
Who do you want to give the bottle to? And does this person know anything about wine?
*Sorry if I might be using the wrong professional terms, English is not my native language.*
This is a lovely white, I had the 2019 two years ago and it was better on the second day so I expect the extra couple of years in the bottle will have further improved this. Crystals like this would be expected for this wine. Expect notes of white peach, orange blossom, honey, grapefruit and a touch of tropicality. Good find!