Labo VinTartaric acid (or tartric acid)
COOH-CHOH-CHOH-COOH
MM = 150 ; 1 Eq = 75 g
In temperate areas, tartaric acid can be found only in some rare fruits (grape, where it reaches 50% of total acidity, gooseberry, currant, blueberry...). It is stable and its concentration does only decrease by precipitation as potassium bitartarate (= bitartrate) (that is often encountered in the form of crystals in the bottom of wine bottles or clogged on corks). Tartaric acid favours the glycerol formation.