I have been looking through all of the steps that George is taking for the different kits he is making to see if there is any consistent use of extra oak. He usually only uses it during the short secondary fermentation but sometimes he doesn,t add any and sometimes he adds different amounts. Is it all just trial and error or is there some thought process being used to determine whether or not to use more oak,what type of oak, and how long to use it. I just received my all juice amarone and pinot noir and would entertain any suggestions on extra oak for these kits. Thanks.
adding extra oak
- Thread starter rrussell
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I would say that it is all personal opinion on this subject. I personally like to add more oak to most of my wines as I like the Oak Monster! It also helps to have done this wine before and now if it really needs more or not. In my opinion most wines need a little tweaking.
wade is correct rrussell. oakiness is a matter of personal preference. I would say to look at the different types of oak, the different characteristics each one imparts to a wine and armed with that knowledge, do some experimenting. So far, my personal preference has been a Hungarian for my Ports and Americanfor my fruit wines.
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Some of us even process our own oaks sometimes. They all have their own attributes to add you personality to your wine. Heck Waldo has even added a "Bulgarian" Oak from time to time!
Almost every one of the kits in the Wine Making Log has used the oak provided by the manufacturer and it was added according to manufacturer’s instructions. For some kits the oak is added during the primary fermentation and others the oak is added during secondary fermentation. There are some kits where one type of oak is added during primary and another type is added during aging.<?
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When there are deviations from the kit manufacturer’s provided oak, it is where the kit has been made before and some different oak characteristics are desired. Currently there are three batches of the Meglioli Barolo; one using the supplied oak, one where heavy toast Hungarian oak cubes were substituted for the supplied oak and one where heavy toast French oak cubes were substituted for the supplied oak. Sometimes based on prior experience with a kit additional oak is desired. The La Bodega Port is aging with two medium plus toast French oak spirals that are in addition to the supplied oak.
The non-pasteurized fresh juices from <?amespace prefix = st1 ns = "urnchemas-microsoft-comffice
arttags" /><st1:State wt="on">California</st1:State> and <st1
ountry-region wt="on"><st1lace wt="on">Italy</st1lace></st1ountry-region>, received in October, did not have oak included. In selecting the oak, consideration is given to the type of oak being used with the particular varietal either by traditional winemakers or modern winemakers. Sometimes the selection is based upon prior taste experience with an oak type and toast level and the desire to add these characteristics to the wine. After the oak has been added, it is periodically tasted to ensure it doesn’t get too much oak.
As Wade,Waldo and Applemanhave indicated, oak is a matter of personal taste. The kit manufacturer adds the type of oak in the quantity they believe will produce a wine that is typical for the style of wine. My recommendation would be to make the kits with the oak provided, added according to instructions and without extra oak. By following the instructions you can determine if the oak is too much, too little or just right. If it is anything other than just right, you can make adjustments to future kits from this manufacturer.
amespace prefix = o ns = "urnchemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" />When there are deviations from the kit manufacturer’s provided oak, it is where the kit has been made before and some different oak characteristics are desired. Currently there are three batches of the Meglioli Barolo; one using the supplied oak, one where heavy toast Hungarian oak cubes were substituted for the supplied oak and one where heavy toast French oak cubes were substituted for the supplied oak. Sometimes based on prior experience with a kit additional oak is desired. The La Bodega Port is aging with two medium plus toast French oak spirals that are in addition to the supplied oak.
The non-pasteurized fresh juices from <?
amespace prefix = st1 ns = "urnchemas-microsoft-comfficearttags" /><st1:State wt="on">California</st1:State> and <st1ountry-region wt="on"><st1lace wt="on">Italy</st1lace></st1ountry-region>, received in October, did not have oak included. In selecting the oak, consideration is given to the type of oak being used with the particular varietal either by traditional winemakers or modern winemakers. Sometimes the selection is based upon prior taste experience with an oak type and toast level and the desire to add these characteristics to the wine. After the oak has been added, it is periodically tasted to ensure it doesn’t get too much oak. As Wade,Waldo and Applemanhave indicated, oak is a matter of personal taste. The kit manufacturer adds the type of oak in the quantity they believe will produce a wine that is typical for the style of wine. My recommendation would be to make the kits with the oak provided, added according to instructions and without extra oak. By following the instructions you can determine if the oak is too much, too little or just right. If it is anything other than just right, you can make adjustments to future kits from this manufacturer.
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AND SOMETIMES WINES LIKE SHARAZ AND PINO NOIR ALONG WITH A FEW OTHERS BENEIFT FOR PROMOTING THE FRUIT SIDE OF THE GRAPE TO BE MORE PRONOUNCED, MOST AUSSY WINES ARE VERY FRUIT FORWARD,TO EACH THEIR OWN,THATS WHAT MAKES THIS HOBBY FUN,THE TWEEKING AS TO YOUR LIKING..................................................
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