Merlot

[Jumpshot]

I made a merlot from juice concentrate, May use an egg white when I clarify. What I did do is add 1/3 cup of american oak chips after first racking. My SG was 1.093 when I started and after 7 days I racked at a SG of .996. I cant get info as to when to add chips. Did I do right to not add them until after primary fermentation? Is four weeks too long to leave them in?

[whopavely]

I work at winery and we age our all of our dry red wines in white oak barrels for the intire fermenting procces, which is 13-16 months. My advise is use chips to your taste, how you like it. The longer U use them the higher the oak undertones are going to be. PLEASE # 1, U.

[Jumpshot]

Isnt it hard to get a taste for the oak when the wine is so young? I mean it is going to taste weird anyway at that point. How will you tell when you have enough?

[Thomas]

Jumpshot, you really need to do two things:

1. Gather lots and lots of tasting experience (that is the only way to know how a wine might behave in the future,re, the oak, and even that is guessing). But you are right, you cannot tell right away what the oak will do to the wine--that takes time and that is why you need to be judicial when you add chips; do it a little at a time not all at once.

2. You need to get a hold of the book "Wine" by Amerine.

[Jumpshot]

Thank you, Foodie..