Have you ever opened a bottle and noticed that the part of the cork that had been in contact with the wine was sparkling? That it had small deposits of crystals stuck to the cork? This phenomenon is known as “wine diamonds”.

WINE DIAMONDS

If you have ever come across these crystals when opening a bottle of red wine, don't be alarmed: these crystals do not affect the quality of the wine. Chemically speaking, what are known as wine diamonds are potassium or calcium bitartrate. They form when tartaric acid, a natural component found in grapes, combines with the aforementioned cations in cold conditions and with considerable movement, such as that caused by sea waves, forming a crystalline salt that adheres to the cork.

Some grape varieties, such as Tempranillo, have a high concentration, making these wines prone to tartrate precipitation and therefore to wine diamonds. In any case, these crystals are not harmful either to the consumer or to the quality of the wine; their appearance simply indicates that it is a natural product derived from the fruit of the vine.