How to filter tartrate crystals from frozen wine?

[plnelson]

Since I live alone but I like to have a nice glass of wine once in awhile I'm always faced with the problem of what to do with what I don't drink. My usual solution is to freeze it in a separate container so I can either use it for cooking later, or even drink it in the future. Wine freezes without problems and the taste is usually unaffected, except in some white wines the taste can actually be improved slightly because freezing precipitates out the tartrate that's sometimes present in white wines. Tartrate - tartaric acid - is what makes some wines taste "tart" (hence the name) and by precipitating out crystals of the stuff the wine can taste better.

But that brings me to my question: tartrate crystals don't readily go into solution again so people who freeze wine are often stuck with sediment from them after thawing. What's a good way of filtering this sediment out of the thawed wine?

Thanks in advance.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

How big are the particles? I'm guessing quite fine?

• I have a very fine small wire sieve which is my go to in the first attempt but I'm uncertain it would be fine enough.
• If a very fine cheesecloth captures and filters these particles out then I'd run up a small version either to line a wine glass or the small glass sized sieve I have. I'm kind of thinking of an in the glass solution here.
• There are some great nut milk bags that are exceptionally fine which would be my next thought. Adapting are to fit a glass or a measuring jug would not be difficult else you could just buy the smallest you can find just watch for the finness. Some are better than others (as with cheesecloths!). Given I'm in Australia it's pointless me recommending any but if needed I could give a link or a picture to one I recently purchased Which would do the job nicely (I have a chemistry degree...)
• Alternatively, if those fail, then you'll only really have the option of unbleached coffee filters papers which are much finer.

 

[TastyReuben]

I've never frozen wine, and I must admit, once a bottle is opened, it's consumed, but I've bought plenty of wine that had sediment in the bottle.

I've never worried about filtering it. If it's too bad, I just make a point not to get too robust in my pouring, the sediment stays in the bottom, and at best, maybe I lose 2 TB of wine in the bottom of the bottle.

To answer your question, though, a standard fine-mesh strainer should be ok, and if you're really fussy about it, cheesecloth or even a coffee filter would probably do the trick.