Cellar Craft Did I mess up my Tannat 2010

walterkokidko · Mar 24, 2010

Looking for Help.

I started the CC LE Tannat back on February 28th.
On the 7th of March I racked from primary to Secondary at a SG of 1.000

Today, the 24th of March, I was going to stabilize and clarify.

I attached my enolmatic to start degassing at a SG of 0.992 and temperature of 75 F.

When I looked in the box, I realized there was a package of oak chips which should have been added into the secondary fermentation.

I stopped degassing and added the chips into the carboy.

I was thinking I can put off stabilizing for another couple of weeks.

Should I go ahead and stabilize and just put put the Hungarian Oak Cubes into the carboy and leave it for an extra couple of months?

Or Should I continue to wait another two weeks after adding in the chips into the secondary, even though the SG is already at 0.992? Stirring daily?

Or Should I stabilize and put both the oak chips and the Hungarian cubes into the carboy that I use for stabilization?

I appreciate any help.

vcasey · Mar 24, 2010

My first question is are you in a hurry? Now that it's dry you can stabilize at any time and you don't need to clear it until you are closer to bottling and sometimes if you wait long enough you don't need to clear, but generally we are talking much longer then a couple of months. So, no worries your wine is just fine and you can add the oak for as long as you like. Hows the wine? I have this kit but have not made room to start it yet.

v1rotate · Mar 24, 2010

Welcome to the forum, Walter. You might as well stabilize, if you are done fermenting and it has been more than 20 days. Oak chips that are added during active fermentation give up their oak input quickly, but it is supposed to be fairly mellow in its affect on the wine. If it were me, I think I would add the cubes at this point and let it bulk age for a couple of months and taste it. Then, if it wasn't particularly oaky and you like oak, you could add a couple more ounces of oak cubes and take a sample weekly until it tastes like the oak is getting a little too intense and rack off the cubes. That should end up being just about right.

I haven't read about anyone adding chips after fermentation is complete, so can't advise on that. Anyone tried doing this?

walterkokidko · Mar 25, 2010

First, the Tannat is very nice and am not disappointed teven when my 1st tasting was without the oak.

I'm never in a hurry to bottle or bulk age.

I am only in a hurry when it comes to aging, because I truly want to drink what I have made and quickly become impatient after 12 months of aging.

I add the hungarian oak chips and then leave them in for at least 3-4 months in bulk aging. In fact I have the Red Mountain Cab that I have had the Oak Chips on since December.

I just took the CC Malbec off the oak, and my tasting was superior and smoother when compared to a $15 store bought bottle of Malbec.

I like the idea of perhaps adding more (fresh) cubes in later.

vcasey · Mar 25, 2010

The Tannat will be just fine and you can stabilize, clear and oak when you want. I really need to make some room to start mine.

I have made the CC Malbec and from my small tastes of the 5 gallons we kegged is easily equal to or better then any commercial Malbec I've tasted. Mine has been bulk & bottle aging for 2 years April and I promised myself I would not open a bottle until April 2010 and yes I know the countdown until next Thursday has began!