"Tom S" > wrote in message m>...
>
> I'd leave the wine in barrel until a month or so before bottling (which
> could be a year, ±) before busting any big moves with fining. Be sure to
> keep it sulfited and topped up. You may find that the initial harshness has
> dissipated greatly with time. You also may find that the "stemminess" has
> integrated with the fruit and wood rather interestingly.
>
I don't think it's harsh in a tannic sense, but rather green in
flavor. As you point out, I'm not really in a big hurry, but would
like to know my options as I really intended to use this barrel to
blend with some less concentrated wines - but I don't want everything
to take on the green flavors.

Are the green flavors somehow tied up with tannins (so a reduction in
tannins reduces green flavors)?

....Michael