New barrels

[Rocky]

Mike, I loaded the second barrel with Rosso Fortissimo and so far, no signs of leakage. I have had this wine in a 6 gallon carboy for about 3 months. Following your experience, I plan to leave both wines in the barrels for about 3-4 weeks to get a decent oaking. I will probably go straight to bottling from the barrels and then try to keep my hot little hands off the wine for at least 9 months. Thanks for your help.

 

[ibglowin]

Sounds good. Now to practice the 3 P's!

 

[Rocky]

Mike, just an update on the second barrel. I filled it on Thursday and there are no signs at all of wine coming through the wood, but there is a significant stain around the bung hole. It looks like the result of capillarity. The bung on this barrel is different than my other barrel; longer and more tapered. I am just making sure that it is firmly seated in the opening. Other than that, I can't think of anything else I should do. Any thoughts?

 

[ibglowin]

If you fill it to much it will seep out from around the edge a bit. Sometimes it will wick a bit like you have noticed. Just wipe up/off any excess. Make sure the bung is seated well and then spritz around the opening with some K-Meta and let it soak into the wood and evaporate. I open and top up once a week (pick a day). Each barrel usually takes 2-3 oz to top off. If you had a full 6 gallon carboy you should have about a bottle or more of extra wine to top off and this should last the 3 months or so of barrel time to start. I backfill my open bottle with Argon gas and push a used cork back in half way till the next week then repeat this process for the duration of time in the barrel.

 

[Rocky]

Mike, how do you buy the argon gas? I have only seen it in a large cylinder when I was in industry. Is there a smallercontainer available? I am assuming that you are using it as a blanket against oxygen infiltration and to push the air in the bottle out.

 

[PeterZ]

Small cylinders are available at welding supply houses.

 

[John Prince]

White or red wine for the first batch in a oak barrel? Why? Should I bulk age in a carboy for 4 months before I rotate in the barrel? More question later. Thanks<div id="myWatcherDiv" style="displayone;"><div id="myWatcherDiv" style="displayone;">

 

[rhoffart]

White or red wine for the first batch in a oak barrel? Why? Should I bulk age in a carboy for 4 months before I rotate in the barrel? More question later. Thanks<div id="myWatcherDiv" style="displayone;"><div id="myWatcherDiv" style="displayone;">

I ran three whites through mine first and now going to run 3 reds through it next. Only the way it worked out, you know you can go from white to red but not red to white.

 

[ibglowin]

Unless you like Pink!

 

[John Prince]

No problem with only reds? Should I bulk age in the carboy for 4 months before using the barrel? I have a red wine that been in the carboy for 5 months. I'm ready.<div id="myWatcherDiv" style="displayone;">

 

[uavwmn]

Mike, why am I seeing red X's instead of pictures in here? I really don't like this new website.

Kathie

 

[grapeman]

Some of the pictures got lost in the move to this new site and George and his tech guy can't figure out where they are or how to get them working. The move to this new site was necessary although not really wanted because of the disruption it causes moving things.

 

[ibglowin]

I saw some yesterday on my Chateau Michaelena Winery thread that were showing up just fine and others that were not so hopefully they will find them all and get them moved into the right sub directory at some point so they will all display.