Topping Off

[Flame145]

I have been monitoring my barrel about every 2 weeks, to make sure smells,tastes and top off any air space. Is this too often ?? I also noticed even every 2 weeks I have to add wine to top off. Is this normal ??? I guess the wood barrel just absorbs it ??

 

[MSLISAJ]

I'm not sure the wood continues to absorb it but I believe the real answer is it evaporates. I have a five gallon oak barrel and it does some wonderful things to the wine but there is also a lot of loss with it too. No leaks it just disappears. But the oak texture is heavenly...........

Just my two cents worth..........

Lisa

 

[Flame145]

ohh ok, mine is in a 53 gallon barrel. Tastes good, just wondering where the wine was going. I thought also that the barrel could only absorb so much, then I thought it would stop. I didn't think of evaporation though.

 

[Wade E]

The wine loss to evaporation is called "The Angels Share". This evaporation actually condenses the wine along with micro oxygenating your wine and these are 2 of the 3 most beautiful things about using a barrel. the best is obviuosly the actual oak profile received from using barrel as some types of oak can come close to this but most dont like chips.