In article
>,
John > wrote:

> Hi,
> Relatively new to winemaking and wonder why first racking is
> recommended for carboys before going to oak?

I work in a commercial winery, and have never heard this advice. In a
winery, it would be racking tank to tank, and the main benefit is that
you can get a cleaner rack, without stops and starts which may disturb
the lees, and then transfer the wine to barrels.

> I have a neutral 20
> gallon barrel from repeated uses (from another winemaker).. I have a
> cab franc that is ready to be pressed (MLF appears to be near
> completion)

Grapes don't require skins for secondary fermentation, but the lees do
help. I've never heard of skins being kept in contact with the wine
longer than the time that it takes for the cap to sink. The problem is a
risk of acetobacter infecting any of the cap that projected above the
wine. Skins in a carboy?

> and wonder why can't I skip the carboys and go directly to
> the barrel with a couple carboys for topping off; I'd re-rack after a
> couple of months and use oak chips in successive rackings. What
> problems do you see with this idea?

No problem at all.
>
> I have another 35 gallons that I was considering racking directly to
> a brand new 30 gallon barrel but again what are the risks? Thanks.
> john

No risks. Adjust SO2 to 25 - 40 parts per million (depending on whether
it is a low pH, or high pH wine). You'll need to rack once of twice
more, but the wine will age more quickly because of increased surface to
volume ratio in the barrel. I'd suggest you get a silicone bung, and
once the barrel is full and bunged, roll the barrel to a 2 or 10 o'clock
position. This will create a vacuum in the barrel and reduce ullage.
Leave barrel closed until the following topping. Constant sampling will
damage the wine.
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/7/2/maude
http://english.aljazeera.net/video/m...515308172.html