First post on this site, love the info and help

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Dabillskid

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First post here. Love the site very helpful.

Couple questions

1.) I’m using fresh juice from fresh pressed juice from Italy. I️ went for amarone. I️ bought 10 gallons. I️ have so far fermented juice to .992, starting was 1.095 ish. I️ve racked twice once at 1.02 and at .992. At .992 I️ racked to clean bucked and degassed with a wine whip then transferred to glass carboy with 1/4 tsp of Meta per 5 gallon and topped up with airlocks in place. I️ guess my one question is does that sound right so far lol

2. Should I️ bulk age it with airlocks? And do I️ just rack every 3 months adding 1/4 tsp of kmeta?

3. I️ bought a 10.6 gallon French oak barrel and plan to put it in there at some point. I️ve read you should only put it in a new barrel for a short time bc it picks up the oak flavor quickly. Should I️ oak it earlier rather then later? Or should I️ bulk age for a while before putting into the oak? Not sure if I️ should go back and forth between the two.

4. I️ also only have 10 g and I️ guess this thing is 10.6 and realize it will evaporate wine. Is it ok the top off with a boxed wine. I️ rather use amarone wine that I’ve made. Maybe I️ should have some more ready? And is there a quick way to guestimate how much kmeta to add to the barrel. I️ don’t have any testing supplies and I️ really don’t want to spent 400 bucks on one of those devices

Thanks!
 
First post here. Love the site very helpful.

Couple questions

1.) I’m using fresh juice from fresh pressed juice from Italy. I️ went for amarone. I️ bought 10 gallons. I️ have so far fermented juice to .992, starting was 1.095 ish. I️ve racked twice once at 1.02 and at .992. At .992 I️ racked to clean bucked and degassed with a wine whip then transferred to glass carboy with 1/4 tsp of Meta per 5 gallon and topped up with airlocks in place. I️ guess my one question is does that sound right so far lol

2. Should I️ bulk age it with airlocks? And do I️ just rack every 3 months adding 1/4 tsp of kmeta?

3. I️ bought a 10.6 gallon French oak barrel and plan to put it in there at some point. I️ve read you should only put it in a new barrel for a short time bc it picks up the oak flavor quickly. Should I️ oak it earlier rather then later? Or should I️ bulk age for a while before putting into the oak? Not sure if I️ should go back and forth between the two.

4. I️ also only have 10 g and I️ guess this thing is 10.6 and realize it will evaporate wine. Is it ok the top off with a boxed wine. I️ rather use amarone wine that I’ve made. Maybe I️ should have some more ready? And is there a quick way to guestimate how much kmeta to add to the barrel. I️ don’t have any testing supplies and I️ really don’t want to spent 400 bucks on one of those devices

Thanks!

1.) Yes that process sounds right so far

2.) Yes to airlocks, yes to racking and kmeta

3.) I like to bulk age a bit to let the wine clear before putting it in a barrel, makes barrel cleaning easier, but you can do it either way. Leave it in there until the oak is just past where you thought the oak was perfect, the oakiness will subside as the wine ages. For a new barrel, not knowing what type of oak it is made of, you should check it after the first month and then every couple of weeks thereafter, I'd expect that it wouldn't need to be in there any longer than two months, depending upon your taste for oak.

4.) It best to top up with "like" wine, if you can find boxed Amarone, that would be fine, but any bigger Italian red or Cab will do just fine. I top up and and add sulfite to my barrels on a monthly basis. My 12 gallon barrel usually needs half a bottle. As far as sulfite additions, if you don't have the ability to test, follow the "rule of thumb" and add 1/4 tsp per 6 gallons per month.
 
Welcome to the forum!

And... Ditto what John just posted above.
 
Thanks guys! Awesome help. For the guideline 1/4 tsp per month. Does that apply to oak barrels? Bc I️ read 1/4 tsp every three months while bulk aging.

I’m was planning on racking every 3 months while in the glass carboys for at least six months then add 1/4 tsp into the oak and add 1/4 tsp monthly while oaking which may only take a month as you said. I’m going to try to get the strips at least but just wanted a general guideline to follow.
 
Thanks guys! Awesome help. For the guideline 1/4 tsp per month. Does that apply to oak barrels? Bc I️ read 1/4 tsp every three months while bulk aging.

I’m was planning on racking every 3 months while in the glass carboys for at least six months then add 1/4 tsp into the oak and add 1/4 tsp monthly while oaking which may only take a month as you said. I’m going to try to get the strips at least but just wanted a general guideline to follow.

That applies only to the barrel, don't do that to wine stored in a carboy or other type of sealed vessel, it'll be too much. Barrels allow micro-oxygenation (miniscule infusion of O2), which depletes the sulfite much more quickly than in one that doesn't allow microx. Hence, more frequent application. Truth be told, I do measure my sulfite, and frequently only add 1/8 teaspoon per 6 gallons per month to wines in barrels, but that's because I know where I am, you don't have that luxury at the moment.
 

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