Sediment, Decanting and the Vegan Issue

Have you ever had the unpleasant experience of getting a mouthful of “gunk” when you were simply expecting a pleasant swallow of wine? Perhaps you’ve pulled a cork and noticed that the bottom of it appears dirty, and upon further inspection, it appears that a layer of sediment is stuck to the inside neck of the bottle. Often times, however, you might not even know the wine you are enjoying contains this sediment until near the end when it unsuspectingly slips into your glass and eventually your mouth. Despite your initial reaction, this is not necessarily a bad thing (the fact that this sediment exists, that is). As for the mouthful, it’s entirely avoidable.

This gritty layer or deposit occurs with the formation of tartrate crystals. These crystals typically form during the fermentation process, but they can also form later in wines that are aged in cool cellars. Often times, winemakers filter out this sediment prior to bottling. However, it is said that this cleansing also removes some of the flavors, so it is a choice some choose not to make. In fact, I tend to notice more sediment in better wines than the other way around. Nevertheless, it is mostly a matter of simply being prepared and effectively dealing with it.

If you tend to notice that a lot of the wines you serve bring along this added feature, I suggest that you purchase a decanter. This is one of the few remaining practical functions of a decanter, another being to aerate younger, more tannic wines as it allows them to open. However, it is not simply a matter of pouring the bottle into a carafe and serving it, though many decanters do tend to hold back the sediment to varying degrees.

If you suspect that your bottle contains tartrate crystals, it helps to let the bottle stand upright for a day or so, but learning how to pour it makes a significant difference. Before you begin pouring the wine into the decanter, first light a small candle or find a similar light source that you can place under the neck of the bottle. The idea is to pour very slowly into the decanter while at the same time watching for the encroaching deposits. Once you see the mass moving into the neck of the bottle, stop poring just short of dumping the material into the decanter. Done poorly, you could waste wine, but if performed with patience and care, you will only loose a half a glass at most. And, like I said, if a little bit finds it way into the decanter, there is a good chance it will remain there.

When it comes to the filtration of wine, it is not good news for everyone. Many of you may never have experienced these sediment-related issues. Many, if not most, winemakers filter their wines, and there are several ways they do this. Unfortunately, many filtration and fining methods involve the use of animal products such as gelatin and isinglass. And in case you are wondering, isinglass is a collagen found in the swimbladders of certain fish. Other non-vegan fining methods involve certain milk proteins or egg products.

Unfortunately, not all wine labels disclose this information since the finished product is technically animal-free. However, there are a relative few easy ways to deal with the vegan issue if it at all concerns you. First, if you are at the store and can’t find a vegan-labeled wine and the clerk doesn’t know any better, look for kosher wine; all kosher wines are vegan friendly. Secondly, if you are planning a trip to the package store, do some research. You will find an extensive list of wine and beer at http://www.barnivore.com. They will not only tell you if your favorite beer or wine is vegan friendly, they will tell you why it is such.