What % do you think the wine improves by doing activities above the basics; good fruit, clean ferment, rack, SO2 and patience?
What % do you think the wine improves by doing activities above the basics; good fruit, clean ferment, rack, SO2 and patience?
What % do you think the wine improves by doing activities above the basics; good fruit, clean ferment, rack, SO2 and patience?
What % do you think the wine improves by doing activities above the basics; good fruit, clean ferment, rack, SO2 and patience?
For me the thing that makes winemaking so much fun is it's both a science and an art.
I’m also making a 60 gallon barrel of Cab Franc.
I’ve used new American, new French and currently a third year French Oak that I purchased from a winemaker up the street, Scott Pruet. He’s our local celebrity race car driver and an incredible winemaker. I found that the Cabernet that is in the barrel needed more oak than the near neutral French oak barrel was giving it and added 4 American oak, medium toast spirals to it. I’m a big fan of the spirals.
In winemaking, it's always interesting to change up some of the variables to study the result. Case in point, the same Cabernet that @NorCal and I made last Fall - In my batch, we separated a small amount of the just-crushed must and slow fermented in a temperature controlled environment. It took three times longer to ferment compared to my larger batch, completed in my warm garage. We put the temperature-controlled wine into a new 10-gallon American oak barrel, whereas the larger batch was put into a new 60-gallon barrel. Recent tastings after ~ 6 months shows that the cool-fermented wine is noticeably better. The other batch is very good, but the 10-gallons is just better! A few things changed, so it's hard to nail down the impact tied to one variable. The sample must was cooled several days before we started the fermentation. A slow temperature controlled fermentation. A smaller barrel. If the temp controlled fermentation is the biggest reason, we may be out of luck. With my budget, there's not a temp controlled tank in my near future!
We actually cold soaked it in mid 50's for 2 weeks, then fermented for about 2 weeks in the mid 60's.Unless it's a trade seceret you're leaving us hanging. LOL! What temp was the temp controlled kept at and what were the 3Xs time frames?
How long was your wine in the two new barrels, and how did the oak come through in the finished product?
I used the new barrels for two seasons each. The oak was pronounced, I think mostly from the Medium + toast. I have found that I don't like the "+" toasting and will never buy one again. I think the "+" tends to overpower the wine, especially that first year.
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