When to Oak Blackberry Wine

Hello, I started a 6 gallon batch of blackberry wine and is currently in first fermentation. My question is when to add the oak and the amount I should add. I have French oak, medium toast chips. Thank you for any help.

I oak last. What I mean is, after primary, I allow the wine to clear and of course rack whenever lees are 1/4" thick or after about 60 days. Once the wine is clear, and no longer dropping lees at all after 60 days, then it's ready for oaking and bulk aging. I keep it on the oak until the taste is just slightly too much oak (as it mellows with some aging) and then bottle it. I like two ounces per 6 gallons of chips, but your taste might vary. It also depends on how tannic and dark the wine is- some blackberry recipes are light and fruity, and don't stand up well to oaking. Mine is darker and more heavy bodies, and plays well with oak.

Thank you so much for the quick reply! I have spent a lot of time on the Internet looking for answers and this was much faster and answered my question perfectly. Appreciate it and go Packers!

I oak mine in the primary stage as when I make kits that is when they have me oak...Tasted mine after 6 mo in bottle and think it needs to age to at least a year. I also use American powdered oak...Yooper's amount is about what I use...

Hello,

When you say you bulk age with the oak chips and then bottle, do you bottle straight off the chips or do you rack it first then bottle? Thanks

We like to use the oak powder in the primary, about 11 grams/gal toasted, it sinks to the bottom of the primary before you rack. Then we transfer to the secondary and let that finish and on the next racking, since we will have some room to top off, toss in some oak, all depending on what it needs after the original powder, like 1 oat stave or the amount of chips or cubes that is suggested on the package and bulk age. We also like Yopper make ours richer, like 100% juice, or mixed with elderberry juice. WVMJ

Thank you for the reply. I should have been a little more specific. I started my wine last August so has been bulk aging for almost a year. I wanted to oak at the end which is right about now but wanted to add a little oak. I already have the oak chips, I didn't know once I add them if I will bottle straight off the chips or rack and let sit a little longer before bottling. Thank you again.

oregondux said:

Thank you for the reply. I should have been a little more specific. I started my wine last August so has been bulk aging for almost a year. I wanted to oak at the end which is right about now but wanted to add a little oak. I already have the oak chips, I didn't know once I add them if I will bottle straight off the chips or rack and let sit a little longer before bottling. Thank you again.

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It wouldn't matter. At this point, there would be no more lees dropping and so you could either rack and age some more, or bottle. Either way.