Merlot just finished primary, cab ready to exit barrel

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nicklausjames

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I have a merlot finishing primary and plan to transfer/press it this weekend. I also have a cab in a 1st use barrel that needs to be moved bc it's tasting over oaked. Can I just transfer the merlot to the barrel and do malolactic in the barrel? Also if yes how do I deal w the gross lees. Should I transfer it to something else (problem is I'm not sure I have another container available). Let it settle than rack off the gross lees into the barrel and inoculate w mlf? Anyone have any insight?
 
I have a merlot finishing primary and plan to transfer/press it this weekend. I also have a cab in a 1st use barrel that needs to be moved bc it's tasting over oaked. Can I just transfer the merlot to the barrel and do malolactic in the barrel? Also if yes how do I deal w the gross lees. Should I transfer it to something else (problem is I'm not sure I have another container available). Let it settle than rack off the gross lees into the barrel and inoculate w mlf? Anyone have any insight?

I prefer to age clear wine in the barrel. I find that the lees limits the contact that the wine has with the barrel and barrels are a real PITA to clean when it comes to lees.

I would recommend that you transfer to another secondary vessel, and inoculate with MLB, allow MLF to complete, allow to clear, then transfer to barrel for ageing. This is what I do and I like the results.
 
Regardless of what you do, you should transfer off the lees a couple days after pressing. You'll get A LOT of fallout in a couple days. You could then innoculate with MLB in the barrel, but you'd still have some of the issues John mentions.
 
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