You've had your Chardonnay in a new french oak barrel for 6 months?

I would have thought it would be over oaked.



RD wrote:
> I did a barrel-fermented Chardonnay this fall. I used a new French
> Oak (15g) barrel and I couldn't be happier with the results. I got it
> direct from Bouchard Cooperage - (I forget their web address - google
> it and you'll find it.).
>
> I agree with the other guys - buy a good quality wine barrel. Buying
> new is more expensive but so is your time and the contents. This is
> one decision where you don't want to be penny-wise and pound-
> foolish.
>
> I wouldn't let new oak scare you, at least not new French Oak. My
> Chard has been in the barrel 6 months and still expresses lots of
> fruit. If aging sur lies, the dead and autolyzed yeast in the barrel
> absorb some of the wood phenolics. As Paul mentioned,
> stirring guards against reduction but also enhances the flavor and
> mouthfeel. Keep the barrel topped up every 2 weeks or so. With a new
> barrel I don't use any barrel treatment other than swelling the
> barrel. Don't forget to sulfite judiciously every quarter. SO2 will
> be lost more quickly from a barrel than glass.
>
> There's lots of good advice about this on this newsgroup from very
> experienced people if you search around. These people have helped my
> efforts greatly.
>
> RD
>
>> What do you have to be careful of? What are your sanitation practices? (I
>> used Barrelclean last time - nasty stuff.)
>>
>> Do you have a North-east coast source of new oak barrels that won't bankrupt
>> me?
>>
>> Thanks.
>
>