To Oak or not to Oak

[Snowbird]

I'm fixing to start my Muscadine wine and I was wondering about using Oak chips. I've read a little bit on it and it said it could harm cheaper wine kits,but I'm using wild Muscadines......Thanks in advanced for any advice.

 

[Sacalait]

Go slow, "cultivated" muscadines have a delicate flavor that you don't want to mask. If you like the oak taste profile then taste test the wine starting the first week after adding the oak and then every few days thereafter.

 

[Luc]

For future reference (and maybe this wine if you have time at hand) make oak extract.

Take a jar and fill it up with oak. Now pour pure alcohol over it and let it soak for a a few months.
Then take a glass of your wine and add a few drops of the extract into the wine and it will give you an instant hint of how the oaked wine could taste.

Look here for the complete process:
http://wijnmaker.blogspot.com/2007/11/eiken-extract-oak-extract.html

Luc

 

[Sacalait]

Good idea Luc, I'll have to try that.