Oak in Sauvignon Blanc

I personally wouldn't, it will mask the grassy. flinty taste of the Sauvignon blanc -- which is often matured "sur lie" in the Loire valley ( cf Pouilly Fumée). I suppose it depends on the quality of the kit. I always oak my chardonnays ( oaking and aging gives chardonnay that delightful "buttery" taste) but never my Sauvignon Blanc or Muscadet -- two of my favourite whites -- I like the sharp dry acidness of both wines and oaking would smooth and take the edge of sharpness away. All IMHO!

That's a toss up. I oak mine, but I like oak. It's pretty easy to over oak whites, but I would never say a white needs oak in general. Sauvignon Blanc is good both ways as far as I'm concerned. You can add it any time, so there is no down side to not putting it in now.

Here is a suggestion. Throw all of that oak in some vodka to extract the oak flavor, let it sit for a few weeks. You could pull off a sample of your kit and add a bit of this extract to one sample and leave the other unoaked, then see what you prefer. The wine will change over time, but it will get you in the ballpark.

Whatever you do keep the kit topped up with wine, keeping air away from your young wine is always a good idea.

Regards, Joe

Two very different styles. I prefer most of my whites without oak. Including Chardonnay. It is a personal preference. You could always do part of it one way and part the other and see which you prefer.

Ray

Rob

No.

Jerry

Joe , I like the idea of extracting the "oak" flavour by "marinating" it in vodka. This is exactly how I make my "Chilli Gin" which I use as a condiment in my cooking -- both during cooking and as a additive/dressing to prepared food on the plate. The alcohol leeches the flavour from the chillies in days ( my chilli Sherry takes months to mature to the same effect). It sounds a good idea and enables you to oak a finished wine and the additional alcohol needed to oak , say, a 23 litre carboy would hardly effect the abv of the finished wine. I shall try it in future.