Wood pellets for oaking wine?

[Addsae36]

Hi All,
On a recent foray into the local store, I was looking at the bags of wood chips, chunks, etc. I was looking at the wood pellets for smoking and reading the labels and noticed that they have no additives except the wine-infused pellets. Has anyone here ever tried to use oak pellets for smoking in oaking a wine? I haven't done it or even bought any but am getting a hair to make a few more batches since my stock is getting low (not really, just bored and like the process). I cannot find any sources online about anyone trying it here, or in a search engine.

THANKS!

 

[ibglowin]

Some wine kits actually come with a small pack of oak sawdust that gets added upfront as a sacrificial tannin. Its not much like an ounce or two at most. There are just so many better options for oaking a wine that would cost less $$. I just don't see any upside here except for a sacrificial tannin as stated.

 

[winemaker81]

Oak for winemaking is typically aged at least 1.5 years, and you need to be sure what type of oak the smoking chips are. If it's red oak you may get unpleasant aroma and/or flavor

 

[BigDaveK]

Since the pellets are made from scrap I don't believe you can be 100% sure what you're getting.

The pellets are super dry and compressed. When exposed to moisture they will rehydrate, break down into "sawdust" and be I'd swear 10 times their original size.
I use wood stove pellets in litter boxes and then it goes to the garden or compost pile. It gets big and fluffy and does a better job at smells than traditional cat litter. What they would give to wine is questionable and unknown as well as what they would take.

 

[MrFrench]

I use pelletised oak sawdust as a mycological substrate and would second some opinions here and suggest it is not something you want in your wine.

Origin, moisture content, traceability, composition, texture - all inferior to dedicated products.