Adding oak

[my wine]

Ok, I'll leave the red oak for floor boards and picture frames.

 

[Ct Winemaker]

Cuz, for clarification, the “pros“ usually add oak powder during fermentation added right to the must prior to inoculating with yeast. The powder adds body and tanin structure as others noted, but does not add oak flavor. At the completion of fermentation and while aging, oak can be added for flavor usually either by using an oak barrel (best) or toasted oak cubes ( next best) or oak chips. This oak must remain in the wine for extended periods in order to get the benefit (many weeks or better yet months).

in regards to using red oak, around here we refer to it as “piss oak” for exactly the reasons noted by others. I would never let that anywhere near my wine!

 

[Handy Andy]

I might have made a mistake
I cooked in the oven and added some white oak chips at 4g/litre to a batch of red wine 2 days ago as it approached the end of primary fermentation, the fermentation isnt quite over yet.
My wine was really fruity before adding the chips. It now seems to have lost its fruity taste, and some of its colour.
How long does it take to see advantages of adding white oak???

Edit I can just taste oak, in the wine now

 

[Dom Lausic]

I also like to add "oak chips" to the must for fermentation for the reasons stated above.

Just for curiousity, what do you guys typically put in?? I've done about 4g/L for my bold reds.

 

[Ct Winemaker]

In red wine, we typically use medium toast French oak dust (powder) at 1/4 cup per 5 gallons of must. Added directly into the must prior to inoculating with yeast.

 

[Eric Huser]

White oak and Burr Oak only both white oak. Red is funky. I've had some good luck with Hard Maple for Spirits, but have not tried in wine. Too Mapley i think. I have also used Plum Wood and Apple Wood toasted and charded for wines that were a success. Very hard to come by, though for me.