Fastest Vadai Seal Yet!

[eblasmn9]

I ordered mine on 11/19 thinking it would take the usual 2-3 weeks. I got an email that my order shipped out two days later with FedEx tracking. I just thought it was the other parts of my order that MoreWine was shipping to me direct. On Saturday 11/24 The Barrel showed up on the doorstep from Vadai in one box as the Morewine supples showed up in a separate box. I was pleasantly surprised to say the least.

I was also expecting it to take 2 to 3 weeks, but it arrived in a little over a week.

 

[Boatboy24]

I guess you guys got the last ones. Still waiting for my shipping notice.

 

[eblasmn9]

My first Vadai never leaked a drop after break in. My second... that's another story. It took a week to finally stop. It was leaking on one end, where the flat end planks meet the sides. It was in the groove itself, where it is very hard to get any wax in there. Now it is just fine.

Well it is day 3 of breaking in my Vadai barrel. Much like you Robie, I had a leak on the end where the flat end planks meet the sides. It was a very minor leak. It was hard to get wax in the groove to stop the leak, but I think I finally have it. Tomorrow I am going to rack my RJS RQ Down Under Shiraz,Cab Sav/Petite Verdot to it. I am crossing my fingers there will not be any wine leaks.

 

[DirtyDawg10]

Awesome barrels!!

 

[Boatboy24]

Mine is on the Fed Ex truck for delivery today! WooHoo!

 

[eblasmn9]

Mine is on the Fed Ex truck for delivery today! WooHoo!

That's great! Not too much longer.

 

[ibglowin]

While visions of tightly sealed barrels danced in their heads......

 

[Boatboy24]

Started breaking mine in last night. At the end of it all, I filled it with water and put it to bed for the night. No signs of leaking this morning, aside from some moisture right around the opening. Fingers crossed, but it looks really good so far.

 

[eblasmn9]

Thats great! What wine are you going to put in it?

Last night was one week since I filled my barrel with wine. It took about 3 ounces to top off. There are no leaks. It does seem to wick around the opening when I put the silicone stopper back in.

 

[Rocky]

"It does seem to wick around the opening when I put the silicone stopper back in."

Earl, that is a delicate balancing trick when topping off the barrel. The bungs (and there are two types) are long enough to contact the wine so that if the barrel is filled to the lower edge of the bung hole, pushing it in will force wine up and around the bung and out of the bung hole. No problem with this but remember to spritz the stain around the bung with K-meta solution so that it does not have a chance to harm the wine.

 

[ibglowin]

Leave the level about 1/4-1/2" below the opening. After awhile you will get good at eyeballing so that it won't spill out the top when the bung is inserted. You may notice that you will need to top up more the first month or so as the barrel gets fully hydrated with wine. After that it will generally slow down and top ups should decrease in volume to some extent. Also note that especially this time of year (cold) that if you top up your barrel at one temp (cool) and then the heater kicks in for extended periods of time the expansion of alcohol (with temp increase) can be so much that you will have wine seeping back out from around the bung. I have a barrel in my winery that is close to the heater vent and each week I top off it will weep a small amount of wine for a day or so it seems. I just hit it with the K-Meta and a paper towel.

 

[Boatboy24]

Thats great! What wine are you going to put in it?

First wine in is a Winery Series Super Tuscan. #2 is Red Mountain Cabernet (in primary now), followed by either a Red Mountain Trio, or the Vineco LR California Grand Red. I'm having fun with this and can already see myself wanting a second barrel by the time my b-day rolls around in May.

Thanks for all the input everyone. Who knew filling a wooden barrel with liquid could be so much fun!?

 

[ibglowin]

Barrels can be like rabbits and or carboys. They can easily begin to multiply!

 

[eblasmn9]

First wine in is a Winery Series Super Tuscan. #2 is Red Mountain Cabernet (in primary now), followed by either a Red Mountain Trio, or the Vineco LR California Grand Red. I'm having fun with this and can already see myself wanting a second barrel by the time my b-day rolls around in May.

Thanks for all the input everyone. Who knew filling a wooden barrel with liquid could be so much fun!?

You have a really nice line up of wines for barrel time.
I find the whole process fun, even testing for c02. I feel like a (mad) scientist in my lab.
I am planning a second barrel around the same time period.

 

[eblasmn9]

Thanks Mike and Rocky. I wasn't sure how full to fill the barrel. With experience, I will get the right fill amount so it will not spill out. I will keep my spray bottle of k-meta handy just in case.