I have an 8 gallon barrel unfortunately containing an oxidized cabernet. My question is whether the barrel itself is ruined. I generally try to keep my barrels always filled with wine, but when I empty this oxidized batch out, what should I do? Can I empect the next batch to more readily oxidize?
Lee
I'd certainly be concerned about it.. How did the oxidation occur? Did you neglect to keep the barrel topped up and bunged tight? Did you let the sulfite level drop or be zero? Was the fruit already heading toward oxidation when you pressed it? Lots of questions, but only you know.
A healthy barrel of wine will (a) smell good at the bunghole when you open it, and (b) have a pristine surface on the wine itself. There should be no visible film floating on the wine. If there is, you have spoilage going on right before your eyes. The only way to stop that from happening is to maintain adequate free SO2 and top the barrel brim full - preferably weekly in the case of a small barrel.
As for reusing that barrel, I wouldn't risk it - especially if it's an American oak barrel, which is relatively cheap to replace. If you smell vinegar in the barrel don't bother trying to use it for anything but making vinegar.
If you insist on trying to save that barrel you should clean it with sodium percarbonate (to kill anything growing in it), rinse it thoroughly with hot water followed by cold, burn a sulfur wick in it and bung it tight afterwards. Let it sit like that for a few weeks before using it again. I'm not guaranteeing that'll completely fix it because wood is porous and therefore almost impossible to sanitize effectively, but it has a chance of working if the barrel isn't too far gone.
Tom S
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