Mosti Mondiale AJ Merlot - Smoke Smell

[TankCa]

I have an All Juice Merlot that has been bulk aging now for about 4 months that has a very noticable smoky nose to it. I've also got an AJ Caberlot that does not have the same smell.


I was hoping it would diminish but it has not after 4 months in a carboy.


Anyone experienceanything similarbefore? Will it go away?

 

[Wade E]

Im guessing that the oaks were different 1's. A heavy toasted oak will have this smell so it is likely that that you are smelling. Did you leave the oak in longer then recommended or add extra oak? Either way it is an oak smell and will diminish over time as the oak blends in to the wine. Do you still have oak in there?

 

[grapeman]

Did you use the same oak in them? Generally the smoky smell comes from some types of oak. It will certainly diminish a lot over time.

 

[Vince]

Greetings TankCa! Does that specific kit provide dark oak to be added in? I've purchased dark oak before that was bassically burned smelling once added to the must. So now I buy light oak and toast it myself.Might that be thesmell you observe? Take a 1/4 glass and swirl it a few minutes, let it warm up to room temp. Any differences in smell or taste?

 

[TankCa]

I used 2 oz. Stavin med toast cubes for the Merlot and have the Caberlot sitting in a 20L Vadai med toast barrel for 3 months now. Second use for the barrel so if anything I would have thought the Caberlot would have more oak than the Merlot.


The smoke smell is very noticable so I hope it diminishes over time.


I'll try drawing some off and let it breath a while to see if it make a difference.


Thanks for the responses.

 

[Wade E]

Okay but what are the oak factors, American seems to be the heaviest smelling and tasting of the bunch and French is the mellowest IMO>

 

[TankCa]

The Stavin cubesare French and the barrel is Hungarian, both are supposed to be medium toast.

 

[Wade E]

How long did the wine sit on those cubes? It may have a little more oak then you want or maybe it just needs to finish in, either way thats not the smell of any bad wine that Ive ever head of and might just be the difference n oaks.

 

[grapeman]

Think surface area. The barrel probably has less surface area overall exposed to the wine than the cubes do. Remember the cubes have 6 sides to them where the barrel only has one surface exposed. This gives up the oak faster than a barrel does. Also the cubes are single use, where the barrel has been used once already. Then like Wade says the different oak types and toast all impart different flavors. If the Merlot is getting too strong, rack it off the oak and age it. A year smooths almost all wood treatments out well and lets the wine flavors come back through the oak.