Just to make clear, after fermentation was over, I did shrink wrap the container, cut a small hole in the wrap, pumped in Argon gas, put the lid on and then shrink wrapped it again, and proceeded to taste test and punch down every two days while repeating this process each time. So, it produced great results but with a decent amount of work. Certainly worth it, although I want to make this clear. I hope for 8 months of barrel time, perhaps more if I can get it. This wine is very fruit forward and could get a decent amount of oak without being over powered. This was newer barrel; I aged a Chardonnay in the barrel previously for a solid month to decrease the oak impact so I could age this wine specifically for a longer time frame. I am hoping that was enough; we will see.
If I did not have a barrel, I am not sure if this would be worth it. The barrel is rounding out the tannin profile nicely. The carboy version not so much and will probably need more bottle time. Interesting the effects of gradual oxygenation and evaporation.
My next venture may be buying a few cooper tools, rigging a barrel rack so as to spin the barrels in it, removing the heads, pouring in crushed grapes, reselling the heads and barrel fermenting a red wine for 40+ days. It will depend on where I move on from here. My palette for wine is gauged toward Europe, focusing on the terrier. Perhaps a good side gig, but feel mead would be a better market too hit.