# This dummy dont know oak



## TJsBasement (May 23, 2012)

Stopped at a local winery and picked up some Wild Gold Raspberry wine. When I smell or taste the wine it has a very strong flavor that I'm guessing is oak, reminds me of bourbon I think. We don't like it one bit, just cant get pass that flavor. The bottle also has some floaties so that gets me questioning how "well" it was made. 

Is that dark almost sweet flavor probly oak?


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## Bartman (May 23, 2012)

I doubt it. An over-oaked wine usually gives the impression that you are eating oak sawdust - the smell that pervades the air when oak is freshly sawn or split. At least that is my perception of it, and I think that is generally what is meant by "too oaky".

Might they have used a wood other than oak? Historically other, locally-available woods were used to age wines where oak wasn't the local choice for barrels. Pine and acacia wood have been used for centuries, among others.

Maybe they 'cooked' the juice before fermenting? Or perhaps added an f-pack that had been overcooked/reduced?


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## JohnT (May 23, 2012)

If it is rapsberry wine, is it possible that they did not use a new barrel? Perhaps they used an old whiskey barrel. This can impart an almost "Sherry" flavor to wine.


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## Julie (May 23, 2012)

I agree with JohnT, when I read your post that was the first thing I thought of. I would asked them if they use whiskey barrels for aging and then ask them what wines they age in them and now you know what wines not to buy,


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## BobF (May 23, 2012)

Sounds like it might be too high in alcohol as well.


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## rjb222 (May 23, 2012)

only slightly but a little. I recently tried a couple of beers from our local LCB outlet that were brewed in whisky barrels these were very interesting for sure. I did not like the lighter pale ale but the darker IPA was delicious. Used barrels do add flavor for sure.


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## TJsBasement (May 23, 2012)

Ok I could see the used whiskey barrel thing, it (could) be an ok taste but it's just way too strong, I dont taste anything else. I can smell the open bottle from like a foot away. 

A couple ladies was having a ball with the tasting so I just grabbed a bottle and paid, I'll not do that anymore.


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## JohnT (May 23, 2012)

Not to kidnap this thread, but i believe whiskey barrels are not the same as wine barrels. they tend to have a much harder char and also much thinner wood. I remember reading (somewhere) that whiskey is a whole lot more stable than wine, and distillers are looking for a much faster and harder micro oxidation then what a wine barrel provides. 

My thinking is.. On top of the residual whiskey flavor, the barrel could also have oxidized the wine to simulate a more "sherry like" flavor. 

Opinions?


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## TJsBasement (May 23, 2012)

I like reading what anyone has to say about anything, you just never know when you'll use them tidbits. 

We are trying to figure out what wines we like, and so far it's turning out to be weenie wines. I have tasted about 6 mist kits and like all of them. Maybe I should just start making wine coolers 

I started a gallon of ocean spray cran/pom in early Jan that I think is ready to bottle, could I try to add some oak to just a bottle to get a taste or is it too late, the only meta or sorbate was from original recipe. I have racked it 2 times so it's in the second glass and has a tiny bit of of lees so its do for a wracking. Oh and its kinda high proof but smells amazing.


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## Deezil (May 23, 2012)

You might be on to something there JohnT. I know they char the hell outta the inside of whiskey barrels, thats for sure... Theres no "heavy" toast, they're darn near burnt to a crisp. I'm not sure if the staves are thinner than traditional wine barrels although that'd be an interesting tidbit if it turns out true.

Wonder how a whiskey barrel would compare, thickness wise, to a wine barrel thats been re-cooped.


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## Deezil (May 23, 2012)

TJsBasement said:


> We are trying to figure out what wines we like, and so far it's turning out to be weenie wines. I have tasted about 6 mist kits and like all of them. Maybe I should just start making wine coolers



Are you new to drinking wine (less than a year or two)? Peoples palettes tend to shift as they drink more wine.. They start off liking the sweet stuff, the cooler-type wines and eventually work towards the drier, bigger and bolder reds.. Everyone's palette is different, and some dont ever come to enjoy the big reds instead stopping somewhere in the middle-ground.

Another thing - do you drink much soda pop? Plays with your taste buds, will keep you liking the sweeter wines for longer & puts off the liking of the bigger and bolder wines.


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## TJsBasement (May 23, 2012)

Dee you nailed it, lots a pop and pounds of sugar in my coffee. Ima keep trying I guess. It's still wine even if its back sweetened higher then original SG right.


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## Deezil (May 23, 2012)

There's alcohol in there...Somewhere!


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