Racking from primary fermentation

[gabe]

Racking my 8 Italian juice buckets from primary fermentation and than adding the malolactic culture to it. Will add the oak when Malo is complete.
I was wondering if anyone ever experimented by adding oak from a rum barrel and what flavor came out.

 

[Ebonheart]

I haven't ever use Rum barrel chips, but last summer I aged chilean syrah in a peated bourbon barrel for six weeks. Wow, that is a good sipping wine! I've see a lot of bourbon barrel ageds wines on the market (apothic inferno is one). I like them a lot. They taste like a "hot" wine, like you put a tablespoon of bourbon in a red wine. I would think that rum barel chips would do about the same thing, but without the charred barrel notes.

 

[Stressbaby]

Red Top Winery in southwest Michigan makes a white wine blend aged in rum barrels. We sampled it - pretty good! The rum comes through loud and clear. We liked it enough to buy a bottle.

I think any specific varietal character could be overpowered by the rum. It's a bit of a novelty and I wouldn't treat my entire batch that way but for a small portion of a generic white or white blend it's an interesting twist.

 

[gabe]

Thanks for the info, my plan is to try some in a 3 gallon carboy. The rest of my wines will be done with French oak chips.
Gabe

 

[Ajmassa]

Racking my 8 Italian juice buckets from primary fermentation and than adding the malolactic culture to it. Will add the oak when Malo is complete.
I was wondering if anyone ever experimented by adding oak from a rum barrel and what flavor came out.

Just to offer a note about oak and malo- adding it during the MLF can actually aid the process.

 

[gabe]

Thank you AJ for the advice.