Starting Yeast
LC, I'm sure in a 1-3 days you'll be telling us your kit is fermenting away just fine. The first kits I made I did just as you did, any yes it is a good idea to follow the instructions. However, I don't pitch the yeast on top like that any more. Even if you read the instructions on the yeast pack, they tell you to hydrate before hand. The wine you are adding the yeast to is at a temperature much lower then recommended, wich is between 100 and 110 if I'm not mistaking. IMO yeast on top of hydrated oak is far from optimal.
Like I said, I'm feel certain it will for fine for you and we'll be hearing from you in a day or two that your yeast are working away just fine.
It seems to be the case that we often get varried opionions when making wine. Certainly I'm no expert and face the same frustrations myself. I'm making my first wine from grapes now. I'm doing what is called malolactic fermentation on this red wine. I'm using White Labs prehydrated MLF product. I wish I could say instructions regarding MFL from White Labs and other sources were consistent, but they are not. Next year I plan to use a unhydrated product that has clearer instructions.
Best regards,
Paul