To Barrel or it not to Barrel?

[jsbeckton]

So I have moved from kits to fresh grapes because I have not been really impressed with even the high end kits.

My first AG batch is only from April so not yet sure if it will give me what I am looking for but considering getting a barrel.

I’m at the point where I’m not trying to increase my current ~300 bottle supply but just replace what I drink. This will be about 20gal/yr max. Was thinking I might get a 14.5 or 22 gallon barrel and just make one wine per year.

Potential problem is that if I get a toasted barrel I’ve heard something like 1 week per gallon so this would mean after 14 weeks I’d probably have an empty barrel siting around empty for several months so I’d need to take steps to store properly and hope for the best. Would it be better to get an untoasted barrel so that I could always leave the wine in there for a year and then just add my own oak or will that be partially defeating the purpose?

Or on this scale should I just stick to glass and spirals?

Thanks!

 

[Boatboy24]

Why not get a 23 liter barrel and make 4 batches a year at 6 gallons each? You can then keep each batch in for 3-4 months, which is about right for that size barrel. 3 lugs of grapes works out just about perfect for that size - you'l get enough to fill the barrel and top up.

 

[jsbeckton]

That might be an option. I typically try to make 12g in April and the. 12g in October so could just put 6g at a time through the barrel. Thanks for the suggestion.

Have you seen a big difference from a barrel vs cubes/spirals?

 

[Boatboy24]

That might be an option. I typically try to make 12g in April and the. 12g in October so could just put 6g at a time through the barrel. Thanks for the suggestion.

Have you seen a big difference from a barrel vs cubes/spirals?

Definitely. The barrel give micro oxidation and concentration through evaporation. It isn't so much about oak flavor or tannins. My barrels (except for the one I'm about to take possession of) are all neutral and not giving off oak. But that micro-ox and concentration make a big difference.

 

[jsbeckton]

One other question. I know that you don’t want kits to go through MLF so would you consider the barrel use for AG wine that went through MLF a no go or only if it didn’t complete MLF and sulfates before going in?

 

[Johnd]

A little background, the two issues with kit wines and MLF:
1. Potassium sorbate is furnished with most, if not all kits, and will ruin your wine if acted upon by MLB, producing a fatal flaw tasting of geraniums.
2. Kits are purportedly balanced by the manufacturer using mostly malic acid. It has been said that MLB will only act upon natural malic and not the manufactured malic, but it could unbalance your kits acid profile.

That said, if your protocol for producing your kit doesn't include using the provided sorbate, I don't see that as a big risk at all. I have personally used MLB barrels to age kits, and once used skins from an all grape batch that underwent MLF to ferment a kit. Neither of these activities resulted in any issues with the wines. Keeping your wine properly sulfited while in the barrel further reduces the concern, at least in my book...

 

[jsbeckton]

That’s great news. The only thing I use potassium sorbate for is practice in hitting the garbage can!