Oak for Red Wine

[oasisbliss]

I just ordered a Malbec and Shiraz kit and I want a good peppery full bodied oak taste. Any suggestions on what I can do to achieve this? Should I secondary in some oak? If so when, how long, and how much? This is my first stab at making wine. :rockin:

Thanks for your input.

M

 

[Hopinista]

I'd get some heavy toast oak spirals, they've worked great for me in the past

 

[oasisbliss]

Ok Hop Thanks - Can you tell me how many? when to add and how long?
Also is 6 months generally long enough to age on reds ?

thanks again this is my first time making wine.

Can' wait should be great.

 

[DoctorCAD]

If you got a kit, oak will be included.

You can always add more, but be careful, its easy to over-oak and render your wine useless for several years.

 

[Twerp129]

One for a week, then taste, another week or two taste, a month taste. 6 months is probably the minimum for aging. Also, black pepper is usually attributed in Syrah to the grape (especially over ripe grapes) not the wood. With French oak you'll get vanilla, American will give you coconut aromas.

 

[WavePuckRiker]

Order the honeycomb staves from Black Swan Cooperage. Cheap and lots of surface area!

 

[DoctorCAD]

Order the honeycomb staves from Black Swan Cooperage. Cheap and lots of surface area!

Those look like a great idea.