Oaking from start to finish?

[whynot]

I've got the vadai barrel, but I just did a OV Zin (eclipse kit) for 4 weeks, and while it's better than not having gone in the barrel, it didn't really get "oaky", which is what I like.

I'm wondering, I have these 6 week staves/spirals.. I'm considering using them from fermentation though clearing my next kit. With a 6 week kit that would use the oak up and should give it some great "oaky-ness", and if it's not overly oaky I could still put it in the barrel for a few weeks for the micro oxidation.

I would expect between racking I should clean the spirals (at least after fermentation)..

Can anyone think of a reason not to do this? the way I see it they used to (and some still do) the entire wine making process in barrels, so why not with the spirals?

 

[JohnT]

There is no reason that you could not add additional oak, but why not simply leave the wine in you barrel longer? The longer you have your wine in the barrel, the more Oak the wine will take on (especially if the barrel is new).

 

[sdelli]

I agree!


Sam