WineXpert Just ordered Pinot Noir

[codeman]

So I just ordered WE Pinot Noir and from the info I can find it doesn't come with oak chips so I also bought those.

At what stage should I add the oak chips? Primary? Do I treat it as an f-pac? Or use it only during bulk aging?

Thanks.

 

[francois_du_nord]

I just started the WE LE 2013 Oregon Pinot last week and racked to secondary last night. Mine did not come with oak cubes for secondary/clearing, but did have oak chips for the primary. My guess is that yours will be the same.

Pinot is supposed to be very fruity and light, so major oaking is not generally to style. I would be judicious and if you want to add cubes do it in the clearing stage.

That is how my WE Eclipse Cab & Merlot kits with skins do it, just during the clearing stage.

 

[DoctorCAD]

You might want to look into Rouge Soft tannins for Pinot Noir. I added it to my WE Oregon Pinot kit. Still carboy bound, so I can't vouch for it, but the pros use it.

 

[whynot]

Typically you don't oak a Pinot, F-packs are for back sweetening (for white wines like riesling).. I did this kit, it was one of the best I did.. what I did was used 2 american med/light oak toasted spirals..(I would NOT recommend any heavy oak) I put them in with the primary and cleaned them and put them in the carboys for each subsequent racking.. this way you get the "6 weeks" of oak out of them, without having to wait for it to be done, then age... this was very good right after being done.. .

I think the only other kit I did better (or as good) as this was the Red Mountain Cab (Cellar Craft)... My LBS still has some of these Pinot Kits and am seriously considering grabbing another

 

[Elmer]

I usually put 3 Oz of med toast Hungarian cubes for 3 months while bulk aging.

I then bulk age for 3 more months without it.

But I like oak!

 

[heatherd]

Codeman, I made this kit without tweaks and it tasted lovely at bottling, nice and fruity like a typical Willamette Valley Pinot.
Heather

 

[topcellar]

The WE Pinot Noir does not use oak chips...

But since you bought some, I would add during the primary. This is when you add the oak to the RJS WS Pinot Noir.

I've had both Pinot Noir kits... both are very good following the kit instructions.

 

[SouthernChemist]

I find it funny that the VR Pinot Noir does not come with any oak but virtually every other Pinot Noir kit from WE does.