WineXpert Bulk aging with oak cubes

[dswendell]

Hey everyone!

Just racked my eclipse merlot from 2nd fermentation, degassed, added oak cubes etc...I'm wondering if it's ok to do some bulk aging at this point to get alittle more oak in the final product?

I put all three bags if American oak in after degassing. The instructions say to let sit for about a week then do a rack then wait 4 weeks to bottle. I want to let it sit maybe 4-6 weeks with oak, rack, then another 4-6 weeks before bottling. What do you think? Thanks!

 

[Boatboy24]

The cubes will give up flavor for 4-6 weeks. If you rack before then to get the wine off the sediment, just clean off the cubes and put them back in.

 

[Wiz]

I leave my cubes in for 2 months whether a kit or my Italian bulk concentrate.

 

[JMK]

I leave my cubes in for 3 months.

 

[dswendell]

Do you typically rack first to get it off sediment, then leave for a few months? Or is it ok to leave the sediment in with the cubes for a few?

 

[SouthernChemist]

Do you typically rack first to get it off sediment, then leave for a few months? Or is it ok to leave the sediment in with the cubes for a few?

I would just rack off the sediment, rinse the cubes, and put them back in the wine. The cubes will give all they have in about 6-8 weeks (max), anyway, depending on type and quality.

 

[JMK]

I like to bulk age with the fine lees. I believe the substances released from the dead yeast adds mouthfeel and smoothness to the wine.

 

[SouthernChemist]

Sur lie aging can certainly improve some whites (there can be too much, though), but usually it can have the opposite effect in a red wine. You can actually have things like tannin and oak flavor loss if you allow lees contact for too long.

 

[dswendell]

Great advice everyone!

I'll probably follow the directions and rack off in 10 days or so, rinse the cubes and bulk age for 5-7 weeks, rack and get the cubes out and age another 5-7 weeks.

Excited, best "first" taste of wine I've made yet! Looks promising!

 

[JohnT]

Great advice everyone!

I'll probably follow the directions and rack off in 10 days or so, rinse the cubes and bulk age for 5-7 weeks, rack and get the cubes out and age another 5-7 weeks.

Excited, best "first" taste of wine I've made yet! Looks promising!

I would highly recommend that you delay oaking until you are ready to bulk age for 5 to 7 weeks.

oak begets very little (and I mean miniscule) sediment. I would add oak when you go to bulk age (to avoid having to rinse the oak cubes) and then rack off the oak a week prior to bottling. You could also simply bottle without removing the oak. I have done this and it has worked out just fine.

 

[JMK]

Sur lie aging can certainly improve some whites (there can be too much, though), but usually it can have the opposite effect in a red wine. You can actually have things like tannin and oak flavor loss if you allow lees contact for too long.

Would you say that Sur lie aging on red kits make them more approachable to drink at an earlier age?

 

[dswendell]

Good point JohnT. I have unfortunately already adding the oak as per the directions. I'll simply give me a quick clean after the first rack and add them back in for the remainder of bulk aging.

I'm very new to winemaking (5 kits in) and haven't even really opened any of the others but im excited about bulk aging.

Ever wonder why the instructions don't recommended bulk aging in the first place? I mean if it makes that big a difference in the quality of the final product it seems a no brainer. To me anyways!

 

[jsiddall]

I tened to predominantly bottle age. Everything I have read says there is no real disadvantage to bottle aging vs. carboy other than the fact you can't tweak the wine once it is in the bottle. Guys like Tim V, who know a lot about this, say the best place for finished wine is in a bottle.

 

[cimbaliw]

DSWendell, I've done two Eclipse kits. For the second I added the oak cubes at Step# 4 rather than at Step #3. With the first batch I did as others have suggested and dug out, rinsed and replaced the oak cubes. It was kind of a hassle. Ultimately, I bulk age until I need the carboy usually about 1-2 months.

Bill C.