WineXpert Italian style Brunello, Selection International

[geek]

I have this kit and going to rack tomorrow after adding chems, oak cubes and clearing agent, tomorrow is day 8 and per instructions at day 8 you rack and remove oak cubes. Wine should be very clear.

The instructions say it is ok to leave air space on top for the next 14 days after doing that racking to remove sediment and oak cubes. After 14 days then either bottle or top off if longer aging will be done.

Before those 8 days I had the wine in secondary for 2 weeks in a 6gal carboy with air space on top. Those 2 weeks I had added oak tannin and raisins.

Couple questions:
-Is it really ok to leave with air space on top for some many days (would be around 22 days total....it has an air lock)?

-I don't think I want to bottle now, so how about racking into smaller carboys making sure is topped off? 4 months sound ok?
-If I age in carboy how about adding a heavy french oak stave?

Anything else?

 

[SouthernChemist]

The headspace in the secondary fermenter should not have been a problem. Oxidation, particularly at this stage, will not happen so easily. You certainly can rack into smaller carboys for bulk aging. The only thing you will have to worry about is keeping your sulfite levels up if you wish to bulk age longer.

As for the oak stave, if you want more oak flavor, go for it. Just be sure to keep an eye (or taste) on how much is being extracted. A little more than you would like is okay, as it will mellow out. You can always add more, but it can't really be taken away except with time.

I've never really understood why they instruct you to keep the wine with the oak cubes for 8 days. Oak cubes take longer than that to become fully extracted.

 

[wineh]

no water

Geek,
If you want to top up after racking off the sediment, do so but with a similar wine, not water. the point of changing the instructions was to stop people from diluting their wines too much. Don't forget to add 1/4 tsp of meta at this stage.

 

[geek]

I've never really understood why they instruct you to keep the wine with the oak cubes for 8 days. Oak cubes take longer than that to become fully extracted.

exactly, I don't understand that either, in 8 days there's no way the oak cubes will put so much flavor into the wine, but I guess we never know; these are 2 packs hungarian med toast.
I even thought about adding oak chips for bulk aging but will instead use the oak stave after tasting it tonight.

 

[geek]

Let me clarify, the total 22 days with the head space is because I introduced raisins in secondary and let them in it for 14 days (this is not part of the instructions obviously).
So now the instructions call for 14 days and say ok not to top off.
This would make it 36 days total in the 6gal carboy with the head space.

..

 

[Pumpkinman]

Varis,
This kit came with a grape skin pack and you added raisins too?

 

[geek]

Yes, Tom, wanted to do an experiment....

 

[Pumpkinman]

Cool! So you start two kits and are going to compare the one with raisins against the one without? Let us know how they turn out!!

 

[geek]

I did taste this Brunello last night and it is really good with just days of being made, very good; I can imagine how good it will be in a few months.

I am thinking of adding a french oak stave I have (heavy toast) and wonder if only for a few weeks or months...

..

 

[geek]

I racked this kit finally from secondary into a 5gal carboy.
Oh man, this wine is soooo good at this young age, even my wife who is not a wine drinker asked me to serve a bit more and noted it'd be good with a steak....

I will let it age for a few months...

 

[Wiz]

I am also making the WE Brunello. I also use a bulk Italian concentrate for making a cabernet sauvignon and have been making for several years. I use medium French oak cubes and leave in for 2 months. Thus I am leaving the cubes that come with the Brunello kit for the same length of time. I've learned not to be in a hurry.

 

[Tess]

I will be racking mine tomorrow to carboy. Mine had oak chips for the primary and oak cubes to add after that. I also have some med french spirals I will at least add one of these