by tonyhibbett » Fri Oct 20, 2017 11:58
I guess it's my winemaking diary, replacing my handwritten notes.
As for oak chips, I don't use them much any more as I have oak casks, which do a much better job. The wine industry started using them because, having replaced barrels with stainless steel tanks, found there was something deficient in the wine. While oak imparts a certain flavour, which diminishes as the barrels get older, their main function is to allow slow oxidation to take place due to the porosity of the wood. Large barrels do this rather too slowly, so the wine has to be periodically racked to introduce fresh oxygen, with an attendant risk of infection, so more sulphite is added.
I strongly suspect that at least some of the oak chips available may be from old barrels. Over time, I have accumulated chips used during fermentation. These live inside polypins and certainly do no harm to the wine in them. Some time ago I started investing in new oak barrels. The most practical size for me is 20 litres. They cost around £100, including delivery, stand, bung and wooden tap (which I replace with a stainless steel type because these don't drip).
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