First off I would like to thank the group for all the help as I get my first
batch of wine going. Most of your contributions have been made through
google searches so just because you haven't seen my questions doesn't mean
you haven't answered them.

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

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? I got a bottle of Merlot as well as another
gallon of bottles drinking 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. 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. I think if I am carefull
not to shake the keg at all I can keep any appreciable amount of CO2 from
dissolving into the wine, plus I think 2-3 psi will do the job of pushing
the wine out and into bottles.

Thanks for any insight,

Mark