I'm wanting to purchase my first oak barrel in the new year and have a couple questions I'm hoping someone can answer regarding using it with wine kits.
I currently have a Sangiovese bulk aging in a carboy. I started this kit before I decided I wanted a barrel, so I used oak chips (in the secondary) per instructions. I also followed all the degassing and clarifying steps. Should I even bother barreling this one?
Also, I have a Malbec/Shiraz going in the primary, that I have not added the oak powder or chips to. This one I plan to barrel after bulk aging for about a year. Should I forego the clarifying (Chitosan) since I'll be bulk and barrel aging, or does it matter? Any other kit tweaks I should know when using a barrel?
As I understand it bulk aging clears and degasses the wine, but also the first couple of times you use a (new) barrel the wines will oak rather quickly. So just trying to map this all out and hopefully not ruin anything in the process.
My basic plan is bulking in carboys for about a year, then barreling for a couple weeks (longer as the barrel starts to neutral) and then bottling.
Thanks for any advice!
-Wade
I currently have a Sangiovese bulk aging in a carboy. I started this kit before I decided I wanted a barrel, so I used oak chips (in the secondary) per instructions. I also followed all the degassing and clarifying steps. Should I even bother barreling this one?
Also, I have a Malbec/Shiraz going in the primary, that I have not added the oak powder or chips to. This one I plan to barrel after bulk aging for about a year. Should I forego the clarifying (Chitosan) since I'll be bulk and barrel aging, or does it matter? Any other kit tweaks I should know when using a barrel?
As I understand it bulk aging clears and degasses the wine, but also the first couple of times you use a (new) barrel the wines will oak rather quickly. So just trying to map this all out and hopefully not ruin anything in the process.
My basic plan is bulking in carboys for about a year, then barreling for a couple weeks (longer as the barrel starts to neutral) and then bottling.
Thanks for any advice!
-Wade