oaking

I make Central Valley Valdepenas and oak it, I can't imagine any of those would not be better with oak than without.

Joe

I'm following the tread and learning. Has anyone used LIQUID oak essence? I see wine making shops sell the liquid, couldn't that be used? Anyone have experience with it?

I did add 1.5 ounces of real oak chips to a 1 gallon Chablis (Carlo Rossi) "need the 1 gallon jug and it was on sale. smile. I will know later this week if it works. I think Ray told me he does this.

Any experiences with liquid oaks? or is that cheating? :*)

DAve

Joe Sallustio wrote:

Dave,

When making your own wine, there is no such thing as cheating. If it makes the kind of wine you want, it's right.

I make my own liquid oak extract and use it to fine tune the oak levels of my reds. The wines are first conservatively oaked during fermentation on toasted French chips, then, bench tested with different amounts of oak "tea" to nail the level I want.

I make the tea by boiling 5 cups of water and adding 3 cups chips, and simmering briefly. after steeping & straining thru a coffee filter, I get 4 cups of hot extract which I then bottle & chill & settle to get a softer effect , or use right away for an effect with more bite.

Sorry, I have no experience with commercial liquid oaks.

I think you may have put too much oak in the Chablis, taste it now. It will improve most jug wines as far as i am concerned. Carlo Rossi was a cousin of the Gallo brothers, I grew up on those jug wines (and you have to get the bottles somehow, right?). :) 1.5 ounces may be good for 5 gallons of white, it seems like a lot for 1 gallon.

I never use the liquids so can't speak to them, sorry.

Joe

DAve Allis> I'm following the tread and learning. Has anyone used LIQUID oak

oooowwwww. Maybe it's 8am, but I took your advice and tasted it. OAKY OAKY! (ie: Chablis gallon w/1.5 oz oak chips)Much better than the Chablis originally, though. I'd better bottle and let sit for a few months. Maybe I'd best taste it again this evening? smile. hmm. Well, it WAS an experiment.

I will try the liquid oak to a red and do some experimenting and post my thoughts.

thanks, DAve

Joe Sallustio wrote:

Ok. After now tasting after 5pm, I think my taste buds just wasn't ready for wine at 8am. (good sign, no?). I like the oaked chablis. I bottled into 750ml's and am ready to try oaking some reds. Maybe a store bought, since all my wines are still "in progress". My current favorite is Rex Goliath 47 pound rooster Pinot Noir - incredible for the price. BJs has it for $6.99 and it's real drinkable, but I sure like oak. Since I have a case, I will experiment with maybe 1/2 ounce for a 750ml bottle for 3 weeks... thoughts?

Oakey Dokey, DAve

DAve Allis> oooowwwww. Maybe it's 8am, but I took your advice and tasted it. OAKY

Isn't oaking a commercial bottle like buying a painting and painting over parts you don't like ?

1/2 ounce per 750 ml seems like a lot cut that in half maybe. Even that is a lot of oak.

Try a Jadot Beaujolais Villages if you want an inexpensive but decent red...

Sounds like great economy to me. And 10 bottles would only cost 69.90. That is enough to have bought a kit that would make 30 bottles. uhhh, hmmm.

Ray