something to chew on

[tonyt]

I have been noticing that every week I am adding much more top up wine to my 23L vadia barrel. It must be this ridiculous hot dry weather we're having in Texas for the past several months. Even the furniture and woodwork im my house is drying up. I understand that one of the great benefits of the barrel is the evaporation and concentration. But if I am adding back wine from other kits or cheap top up wine am I really getting the full effect of the concentration? SO . . . what if I top up the barrel with marbles? Over several months would that make the wine too concentrated?

 

[robie]

The idea behind concentration is that water evaporates out and leave in the barrel everything else. (Some alcohol evaporates out, too, but that's not a factor here.)
The lost water is thinner than wine, so after the evaporation, your wine is left thicker.
Then when you top up with wine and not water, you replaced what was plain water with more, thicker wine.

As a result, your wine is getting thicker and thicker each time you have to top off.

I think this is the secret of making a normally thin kit wine into something as that much more resembles a commercial wine. (IMO)

 

[ibglowin]

Have you done a measurement Tony? Wonder how much more your adding than me or Richard. My winery is about 65 degrees now and it seems like I am adding less than 2-3oz to each barrel each week.

 

[rhoffart]

Have you done a measurement Tony? Wonder how much more your adding than me or Richard. My winery is about 65 degrees now and it seems like I am adding less than 2-3oz to each barrel each week.

Same here ... I have my first run in my 23L barrel and in the first two weeks I only topped up twice with very little wine. Actually less then 5ml each time.

 

[tonyt]

For the past several weeks I have been adding about 6 ounces every two weeks. In the barrel right now is a MMM roso Intensio. As I look back the MMM Amarone that was in the barrel during spring and early summer took about 5 ounces every two to three weeks. But my real question is will I over-concentrate if I use marbles instead of other wine to top up.

 

[Wade E]

For the short amount of time this will be in there especially due to it being a newer barrel you shouldnt have this problem at all.Some wines get left in barrels for many years and they dont have this problem. Im not sure its possible to over concentrate a wine unless it git some kind of infection or something.

 

[rhoffart]

will I over-concentrate if I use marbles instead of other wine to top up.

My guess is there is no answer to this question ... the little I know, I would say let your taste and smell tell you when it's ready.

I'm pulling my first run out this weekend, just after two weeks there is a noticeable difference. Of course, my is different, I have a chardonnay in mine.

 

[robie]

Maybe you can't over concentrate but it will sure make the wine a "bigger wine". I would think it will enhance the flavors that are present, but who of us knows; maybe you should take this on as an experiment and let the rest of us know how it turns out.

Last night I topped up my 6-gallon barrel of Melbec. After only one week, it took about 3 oz. to top off.

 

[ibglowin]

I top up weekly. I add 2-3 oz of wine each time. This seems not only reasonable abut also very normal for this size of barrel. If you age in the barrel for 3 months you will lose approximately (1) bottle of wine through evaporation. This is what owning a barrel is all about.

You have to feed the angels their share folks, there is no free lunch even in Heaven!

 

[tonyt]

you should take this on as an experiment and let the rest of us know how it turns out.

Experiment accepted, in two weeks the Roso comes out of the barrel and I believe the Yakima Syrah will go in for three months. The Syrah is in an Italian carboy right now so I may have a few hundred ml extra to bottle now and compare to later. I hope I have enough marbles, I've been told that I have lost some lately.

 

[robie]

I top up weekly. I add 2-3 oz of wine each time. This seems not only reasonable abut also very normal for this size of barrel. If you age in the barrel for 3 months you will lose approximately (1) bottle of wine through evaporation. This is what owning a barrel is all about.



You have to feed the angels their share folks, there is no free lunch even in Heaven!

The fruit flies want (and generally get) their fair share, too. Those little devils have a very high tolerance to alcohol... just a bunch of little winos.

I have read several times about loosing up to a 750ml bottle per month in a 6 gallon barrel, but I don't yet have enough experience with a barrel to support this claim. Of course climate and environment play a big role in this.

T

 

[Otis Greg]

If you don't have a $50 bottle of Amarone to top up, what would be the second best wine to use or should I make the investment?

 

[ibglowin]

Heavens no! Any cheap Italian blend will work or any inexpensive Merlot.