How much of an oak taste is too much?

[Lounge Lizard]

Any wine connoisseurs out there have an opinion on oak taste in wine?

I just ordered a Winexpert, Nappa Valley Stag's Leap District, Merlot kit, that on a scale of 0 to 3, is a 3 on oak intensity. It will have a regular and French oak chips to be added to the primary.

Should I cut back on the amount of chips that are added?

I'll have a lot invested in this batch of wine and don't want it to taste like crap!

 

[DarkStar]

Oak taste will be a personal taste, some like sawdust taste others dont like it at all, depends on what you like to drink. Find a commercial bottle that would be close to this and try it out. The oak added in primary will be a smoother taste than if it was added during aging something about the tannins forming long chains. If you have any questions go over to winepress.us these are the guys to ask , there is also a rep from winexpert there for any questions.http://www.winepress.us/forums/index.php?act=idx

 

[Lounge Lizard]

Oak taste will be a personal taste, some like sawdust taste others dont like it at all, depends on what you like to drink. Find a commercial bottle that would be close to this and try it out. The oak added in primary will be a smoother taste than if it was added during aging something about the tannins forming long chains. If you have any questions go over to winepress.us these are the guys to ask , there is also a rep from winexpert there for any questions.http://www.winepress.us/forums/index.php?act=idx

Thanks for the link! I'll check it out.

So oak chips in wine make it taste like sawdust?? Yikes!

 

[Sasquatch]

It depends on how long you'll age your wine, how strong the wine is, and how tannic you like your wines in the first place. I wouldn't shirk on the oak supplied in the kit.... if they recommend 2 bags, then put em both in.