"Mark Garwatoski" > wrote in message
.com...
> My BK French Merlot is ready for its first racking. At this point I want
to
> add 1oz of French oak cubes, I have read that they will help with the
wines
> character and add some tannin flavor. How should I go about treating them
> before adding them to the secondary or can I just throw them in right from
> the bag?

Just dump them in. If you're anal-retentive, wet the chips, put them on a
microwaveable dish, nuke them until they steam and then dump them in. Don't
boil them in water or you'll end up throwing away part of the flavor.

And should I fetch them out at future rackings and carry them
> through a couple of rackings?

I'd tend to leave them in or replace them each racking until the oak is
noticeable, but the former might be a PIA to do.

> This brings me to part two. Accoring to my directions I am not to top up
at
> the first racking but I am supposed to at the second, with water. I've
read
> that it is better to top up with a similar wine rather than water. The
folks
> at my LHBS told me that water is fine because the kit is actually ment to
> make 6.5 gallons. I think with what I've read about reds that I'd rather
> just throw in a $6 bottle of merlot each time. Might add some quality to
the
> finished product. Is it true that the BK select kits are "supposed" to
make
> 6.5 gallons and water is fine?

Maybe, but I wouldn't top with water.

> I don't think this batch will be ready to drink by xmas, but I also don't
> think I'll be able to bulk age it for a year either. My plan is to keep it
> in a carboy until mid december and then bottle it after I filter it.

6 months bulk aging should be sufficient. If you're careful when you rack
it you shouldn't need to filter the wine. Also, if you're bottling in
December you should fine it in September or so and give it a last racking in
November. BTW, if the wine is dry DON'T put any sorbate into it. Sulfite
yes; sorbate no. Sorbate gives wines an off taste that many people can
detect.

I have
> a cartridge filter system that uses two kegs that use for melomels. I
figure
> it will be easier to bottle from the keg as well, just add enough CO2 to
> pressurize the keg and push the wine into bottles.

Save that for your melomel. If you pressurize the wine with CO2 it will go
into the bottle slightly fizzy, and I don't think you want that (unless
you're into dry lambrusco!).

Filtration is sometimes a useful tool, but if you can avoid it the wine will
be better.

Tom S