Brunello - Oak Barrelling

[rickbw]

I have a Grand Cru Brunello wine kit which has now been in the primary fermenter for 10 days. It started at 1.10 SG and is now at 1.0. I will be racking it to a secondary this week. I would like to age it a new oak barrel for 4 weeks or so. When in the process would it be best to do this? Is it appropriate to follow step 2 of the instructions by adding sulfite etc, degassing it in another carbon and then moving it to the oak barrel? Or should it stay in the secondary carboy for a month or so and then move it to the oak?

 

[tonyt]

You have to keep the barrel full at all times. So make sure you have enough batches ready to go especially since its new. Make a barrel schedule that will tell you when a batch goes in. 2 to 4 weeks for first batch. Taste EVERY week. A batch can go in barrel any time after clearing/fining and before bottling. Can go from carboy to barrel and back to carboy or bottle.

Btw. I did that kit and it is a fave.

 

[Rocky]

Rick, Tony is dead on. Tell us more about your barrel. Is it new? If not, how many batches of wine have you put through it? What size is it? As Tony point out, the "Angels" will take their share of the wine and you will have to keep the barrel topped up. I have 15 gallons of Brunello bulk aging which I made from Italian juice buckets (Mosto Bello) and it is really coming along. I have spent some time in Montalcino, Italy and had the opportunity to tour many of the Brunello producers there. That wine is truly my favorite.

BTW, your wine will have some kick to it. Right now it is something above 13% alcohol and will probably go over 14% by the time it is done.

 

[rickbw]

Rocky,

Here is the barrel we purchased;

http://oakbarrelsltd.com/20-liter-oak-barrel-with-black-steel-hoops.html

It is brand new as we just rec'd it this week. I will have to get it ready per the instructions (swelling etc). It is 20 liters and the Brunello is supposed to be 23L. My plans would be to move the Brunello to a secondary, following the kit instructions and then after a couple weeks move it to the barrel for 2 - 4 weeks. I also have a Grand Cru Amerone which we just started this week which I can put in the barrel when I take out the Brunello. This week we plan on a red zinfadel and I will time it so it can go in the barrel after the amerone. I'm assuming that by that time the oak will have aged a little and the 3rd batch zinfadel can stay in a little longer.

 

[Rocky]

Rick, looks like a nice barrel and a very good price. I have two 23 liter barrels and I was very surprised at how much wine is lost even after prepping the barrels. I have a hot plate in my wine area and I added boiling water to the barrels. They still leaked quite a bit until I let them dry out, tightened all the hoops (moved them by as much as 1/2 inch) and reset the hoop nails. I have them filled with k-meta solution at present and I am about to move wine into them. They have lost just about all of their oak flavor, so I add oak cubes to them. They still perform the important micro-oxygenation function well and really give the wines a great body and taste.

 

[robie]

Rick,

Here's another alternative.

Although 3 to 4 weeks in a new barrel will be plenty to properly oak that Brunello, it won't be nearly enough time to micro oxygenate (M.O.) or concentrate it. For this wine, both M.O. and concentration need 2 to 4 months in the barrel.

After oaking in the barrel for 3 weeks, take the Brunello out and put it back into a carboy. Put several other batches through the oak barrel until it can easily handle a wine being in it for 6 months without over oaking. At that time, put the brunello back in for 2 to 4 months, topping it off every 3 to 4 weeks with a good Sangiovese or another brunello. Actually, since your barrel is 20 liters, not 23, you should have some extra wine left for topping off.

The result after MO and concentration will be a rich, full bodied Brunello, you will be very proud of having made. Otherwise, the Brunello will likely be thinner and less flavorful compared to what it could be.

 

[tonyt]

Rick,

Here's another alternative.
After oaking in the barrel for 3 weeks, take the Brunello out and put it back into a carboy. Put several other batches through the oak barrel until it can easily handle a wine being in it for 6 months without over oaking. At that time, put the brunello back in for 2 to 4 months.

Robie, that's a great idea. Rick doesn't say how many batches of wine he has made. If he is rather new without a stockpile of finished wine this plan may not be easy to carry out. I have a couple hundred bottles laying down and I am pretty sure I wouldn't have the patience to follow through. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. That should be my signature!

 

[robie]

Robie, that's a great idea. Rick doesn't say how many batches of wine he has made. If he is rather new without a stockpile of finished wine this plan may not be easy to carry out. I have a couple hundred bottles laying down and I am pretty sure I wouldn't have the patience to follow through. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. That should be my signature!

Yep, it can be a challenge. Got'a keep the new wine batches flowing for sure. One needs to have enough carboys to store all that wine until it can cycle back into the barrel the second time.

It takes awhile for the barrel to reach at or near neutral. This is why I like neutral barrels so much, even though some people think it strange. One can always get oak flavor from chips, cubes, spirals, ..etc. Besides that, layering different types of oak is a good plan for many wines. To layer, one has to either have different types of oak barrels or use chips, cubes, ..etc, anyway.

In the end it is really worth it, though. The barrel is what makes all the difference in the world for a kit wine; it will make the wine really shine. Sounds like Rocky has discovered this same "magic" with his barrels.

 

[rickbw]

Thanks for al the great replies. This forum really helps the newcomer! I have a Brunello ready to go into the barrel (once it cures) and an Amerone in the primary fermentation stage for 6 days. Tonite I plan on starting a Zinfendel, so hopefully I can move all 3 thru the barrel on a timely basis. I just don't know that I will have the patience to put the Brunello back into the barrel (I know I should......) before bottling.

One more question;

We had the brunello in the primary bucket for 12 days and the SG was at .99 so we racked it into another carboy (using the allinonewinepump which is fantastic!) and were hoping for some secondary fermenting if possible. Nothing has happened over the last two days so tonite I plan on ading the next set of packages from the kit (Sulfite and Potassium Sorbate) and then racking to another carboy using the pump to degass - then adding the Kieselsol and Chitosan - moving back to the original carboy with the pump to degass and then racking to the barrel. Does this sound correct?

 

[Rocky]

Rick, if you are saying that the SG was .99 meaning 0.990, I would say that the wine is fully fermented. I would add the potassium metabisulfite as soon as possible, though. That is a very low SG. You may not need to add the potassium sorbate. That is only to prevent re-fermentation and it seems like that is not a danger for you. Lastly, if it were I, I would not add the Kieselsol and Chitosan before going to the barrel. I would move it to the barrel, age it there for whatever time you prefer, pump it out of the barrel into a carboy, add the fining agents, let it settle for a few weeks and then bottle.

 

[rickbw]

Rocky,

Thanks. That is exactly what I will do.

 

[tonyt]

I would not add the Kieselsol and Chitosan before going to the barrel. I would move it to the barrel, age it there for whatever time you prefer, pump it out of the barrel into a carboy, add the fining agents, let it settle for a few weeks and then bottle.

Curious as to why you would fine and clear after barrel. Never thought of that.

 

[Rocky]

Tony, I guess my main reasons are that I do not want any traces of the fining agents in my barrel and I may not need to add kieselsol and chitosan. Often, when I remove wine from a barrel, it is so clear, I do not add fining agents. I suppose you could do it either way.

 

[FRANKC]

How long does it take for oak barrels to mellow?

I'm about to buy some oak barrels to oak and age 18 gallons of Brunello made from Mosto Bello juice. Naturally, I don't want to over-oak with the new barrels. As suggestd here, I can cycle batches through the barrels until they mellow out and can be used primarily for aging. With a 20 liter barrel, does anyone have a guess on long that might take?
Thanks!

 

[FRANKC]

How long before new barrels lose the strong oak flavor?

How long does it take for oak barrels to mellow?
I'm about to buy some oak barrels to oak and age 18 gallons of Brunello made from Mosto Bello juice. Naturally, I don't want to over-oak with the new barrels. As suggestd here, I can cycle batches through the barrels until they mellow out and can be used primarily for aging. With a 20 liter barrel, does anyone have a guess on long that might take?
Thanks!

 

[ibglowin]

The search feature is your friend.

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f74/barrel-aging-schedule-33425/