"Ray" > wrote in message
.. .
>
> "Paul E. Lehmann" > wrote in message
> news
> > Ray wrote:
> >
> > > It is my understanding that oak barrels do more than add oak to wine.
> The
> > > breathing is very important to the overall effect. If you can only
> leave
> > > the wine in these barrels for a very short period of time, you would
> > > probably get the same effect from oak cubes and it would be cheaper.
> > >
> > > Ray
> >
> > This has not been my experience with a 10 gallon barrel. The wine is
MUCH
> > better from the barrel than with just oak cubes in a glass carboy. My
> > barrel is about 4 years old now and I cycle wine through every three
> > months. I check for full and top up every two weeks. It has never been
> > empty longer than what it takes to empty the barrel and bottle and
> re-fill.
> > It is just now getting to the point that I am not over oaking my wines.
> > When it is completely neutral, I may add a few oak cubes to the
barrel...

I _highly_ recommend that you add French oak cubes/beans back, or at least a
combination of French with some American oak.

I did a long term (>15 years) study on this, with identical wines aged
separately in new French and American (fire bent) oak barrels. The American
oak aged wine smelled the best, but the French oak aged wine _tasted_ best.

> > I think several months in barrel makes a big difference.

Definitely!

Tom S
www.chateauburbank.com