Don't worry about oxydation. As has been pointed out in other
threads, wine provides an environment that is toxic to most things. A
brief exposure to air isn't going to damage it.

Regarding how much to pull -- This is up to you and your needs. For
your own needs blending each time you pull a cork will work, but for
giving away you need to blend-n-bottle. And for the long term it will
work out better to do the blending once and have the bottles ready to
go.

So I'd pull all 29 corks and get it done with.

I've currently got a Vino del Vida Pinot Noir ready to bottle. I
appears to be coming along nicely. I diluted it to 5-1/2 gallons,
which results in one full carboy (5-1/4 gallons after sediment loss).
This eliminates topping up the carboy -- initially I had more than
would fit in the carboy so I kept it in a spare wine bottle under
airlock.

Other threads have commented on the fact that diluting to anything
other than 6 gallons changes the balance of the wine, but given that
the vendor recommends topping up with water I won't believe that it
makes than much difference. :-)

Bryan




On Wed, 27 Dec 2006 18:23:53 -0500, Dave Allison
> wrote:

>Hi all.
>Happy New Year to each of you. Thanks for a fellowship around wine making.
>
>I finished a Vino del Vida Shiraz wine kit. I follow directions for a 6
>gallon kit, and after bottling and waiting 6 months... it's a little
>light. Not bad, but kinda light in nose and taste. So I was thinking
>about blending.... but I've never done that.
>
>I have 30 bottles. I have done the recommended blending test (several
>glasses, then mix different proportions until I find what I like.)
>
>I find an Australian Cab Sauv/Shiraz commercial wine - mixed to 40% to
>the kit 60% is a good taste.
>
>Do I:
>1. empty 29 bottles (took a bottle to figure this out) into a carboy and
>mix as above.
>2. open each bottle and remove 40% and recap.
>
>I'm thinking (oh, that is dangerous!) if I empty all the wine into a
>carboy, I'm adding exposure to air, I could damage the wine.
>
>I guess a third option in my head - is to decanter each bottle as I go
>and add 40% of the commercial wine. Of course this makes giving bottles
>away impossible. (don't drink this as is, add this other bottle to a
>proportion of ... no no no).
>
>
>Suggestions?
>
>DAve
>
>p.s. Not sure I'll do another VdV kit, my wine store mentioned many make
>it to a 5 gallon carboy. So many think this is a weak kit? just asking.