43 replies to this topic

[NorthernWiner]

I don't yet own a barrel but have considered it. Just curious what other people's oaking preferences are?

[gregorio]

Monster reds need a monster dose of the wood, IMO. Also, better wood makes better wine.

[Peter Lynch]

I like to notice the oak but not for it to dominate.

I don't yet own a barrel but have considered it. Just curious what other people's oaking preferences are?

As you probably know, you don't need a barrel to get oak into the wine. Stavin's oak cubes provide an easy & relatively inexpensive way to oak a wine although you miss out on a barrel's other effects. Oaked many a wine with cubes and have been pretty happy. I actually think there was a taste study done somewhere where the participants could not tell the difference between barreled wine and "cubed" wine (as related to the oak flavor). Having said that, just got my first oak barrel from Vadai (Great owners, very nice people. Barrel arrived in less then a week to East Coast and looks great). Got some Pinot Noir I can't wait to get into it. If you're looking for a good barrel at good prices, these guys are worth a serious look.

[NorthernWiner]

I like to notice the oak but not for it to dominate.As you probably know, you don't need a barrel to get oak into the wine. Stavin's oak cubes provide an easy & relatively inexpensive way to oak a wine although you miss out on a barrel's other effects. Oaked many a wine with cubes and have been pretty happy. I actually think there was a taste study done somewhere where the participants could not tell the difference between barreled wine and "cubed" wine (as related to the oak flavor). Having said that, just got my first oak barrel from Vadai (Great owners, very nice people. Barrel arrived in less then a week to East Coast and looks great). Got some Pinot Noir I can't wait to get into it. If you're looking for a good barrel at good prices, these guys are worth a serious look.

Peter, it sounds like your head is kind of where mine is at.

I make wine from grapes in the fall, kits in the winter, and fruit wines (mostly berry) as the fruits become available. I use oak on all but the reductive wines and am a big fan of the Stavin beans. However, after 6 years of bulk aging everything in carboys, I'm thinking maybe next year I will pick up a 100-liter barrel to use for some of my more "serious" efforts.

Vadai's prices look pretty good to me.

Steve

[Andy in SoCal]

To me it really depends on the oak. Good oak? I can enjoy plenty of it. Bad oak? Not one bit of it.

Andy

[Borisbbadd]

For me, a little bit is fine, but it is easy to over do it.

[Seb]

Monster reds need a monster dose of the wood, IMO. Also, better wood makes better wine.

I use the same technique here

Stavin Oak bean are of top quality and I like to use them. I use also many oak barrels and of course I prefer them over Stavin Oak bean because of the concentration effect and micro-oxygenation. I like to blend my wines in different type of oak for more complexity. Everything is related to balance in a good wine, so does oaking. You need some experience to discern the right timing to remove a wine from the oak ( or the oak from the wine ) but ageing will soften it a little bit and a little "overoak" isn't really bad with wines that you want to aged for many years.

[Wade]

I'm about to use it for the first time. I brought home some white oak from work and am currently toasting it in the oven as I post this right now.

[Hippie]

Just remember to take it out while it is toasted and don't leave in long enough to be charred.

[WineNJ]

I have personally always used oak chips and I have been very satisfied with their results so far. I do agree with the statement that the "monster reds need monster oak," and what I like about the chips the most is that you can keep adding more until you are happy. Good rule of thumb I always follow... always over oak it a little because it will age out. If while tasting you decide it is perfect, then either let it age longer or add more oak... this is of course barrel, cube, mor, or chip dependent. I am also a believer in the fact that not all dry wines need oak because it is a preference and great wine can be made without any oak. Oak does add complexity and mouthfeel and is also excellent in fixing a wine with a donut effect or lack of a finish but if the wine has everything and is perfectly balanced by itself then I for one will leave it alone.

[Normy]

I like it a little oaky in the heavy reds, very light in the others.

[Wine&Dine]

I dont really like sour wines, which is most red wines to me. The combination of heavy tannins and the lack of any residual sugar is not a pleasant drink for me. Chock me up to the Kool-aid generation I suppose...

So that being said, I dont typically even consider using oak in my wines. Recently however, it occurred to me that my favorite wine, tawny port, is aged in oak. So I am now thinking about experimanting with oak.

Cheers

[MSC'S-CELLAR]

I like an oaked wine, however, a lot of commercial wines are clearly over oaked. I cant even tell what red varietal is in the bottle because they stink of wood. My guess is that it is not oak barrels that culpable, but probably the wood chips additives.

[SandSquid]

Depends on the wine.... Most "big reds" get big oak, some fruits, elderberry and black berry for sure.

But I now know that good barrels do much, much more than just give oak flavor.
Having tasted two of the same kits, one done in a carboy with cubes and one done in the barrel, there is no comparison.

[Danny Rappleyea]

I am trying my first attempt now to oak a wine. I recently made a batch of strawberry wine. I racked off a gallon of it and added some medium toast Hungarian oak cubes. They've been in there a few weeks now. I'm wondering if it's time to sample to see how the flavor compares to the unoaked wine.

Danny