WineXpert Oak question

[Wild Duk]

i've got a SE Cab. Sauv, Merlot blend sitting in secondary now. I followed the directions and added the 4 packages of oak into the primary fermentor, 2 chips and 2 powder. when I racked it to the secondary, obviously all the oak was left behind.


Is that short period of time enough for the oak?? doesn't really seems so, but that is what the directions said....

 

[Waldo]

Have you tasted it duk? That powder imparts an oakiness pretty quick. You can always bulk age on more oak later if it is not to your suiting

 

[Tom]

Tim Vandergrift of WineExpert says it is. That's one reason you get powder & small chips. You can't go wrong with that kit.
Just FOLLOW DIRECTIONS.

 

[Wade E]

1 big chunk of oak has a much smaller surface area to give wine flavor compared to a zillion little specks an some little tiny chunks. There is so much surface are there to impart its flavor that it gets it done fast. Like Waldo said though, if you feel it needs more then you could throw in some cubes or a spiral in while its bulk aging. This is your wine so make it the way you want. I typically add more oak to the big red kits myself.

 

[dfwwino]

It really depends on your personal taste. The kits are trying to please the largest number of consumers and are conservative on oaking. Some people cannot stand "oak bombs" or even the flavors imparted by oak. I tend to like oak in my wine so I always add a two month period where I age my wine in bulk with Stavin oak beans in addition to other oak provided with the kit. I even add oak to some of my whites and mead too.

 

[Vince]

I like oak in my cab also but I toast light light oak in a stainless frying pan (dry) and add it into my wine.I think the heat releases more flavor and the dark oak while imparts flavor pretty quickly it alsotastes burnt to me. I've pan toasted 15+ batches of light oak and it works like a charm in releasing flavors.I've exerimented with adding it in during the primary, when racking to the secondary, even after degassing, filteringand fining and have found that I have best control over how much flavor is impartedwhen adding the oak in after fermentation is done and degassed and filtered so I add oak when I'm ready to bulk age. It seems to producethe clearest tastes and aroma.

 

[Jack on Rainy]

duk,
I'm one who likes more oak than the kits provide as well. I think part of the reason kits are light on oak is it takes more time to make a kit with more oak and they are trying to sell the "early drinking" concept. If you can forget about drinking early, you will make better wines.

 

[A1190w]

I, always add at least a cup of extra Toasted Oak per 6 gallons,as well, at bulk aging time. Never seems to be enough for me.


Happy New Year All


Andy