If you are aging wine in oak, and it is a new barrel, you have to taste it regularly after two weeks. New oak will contribute a lot of flavor, too much of you are not careful.
Remember: you can always add more oak. You can never take it away.
2006-08-14 15:58:36
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answer #1
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answered by dogglebe 6
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Good chardonnay is stored in oak casks for a period of time. It picks up some flavor and some aroma from the wood.
Vinters sometimes add "oak flavoring" to cheaper chardonnays to make them seem more expensive.
2006-08-14 11:57:56
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answer #2
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answered by Ranto 7
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It does add a vanilla tone to the flavors, but also adds tannins, which make your mouth pucker in a not-sour or tart way. Tannins come naturally from stems and skins, and can be a good thing in red wines, but are way, way over done in California chards and cover up the pure rflavor of the grapes.... in fact, they are often used to hide inferior grapes. The finest chardonnays in the world are from Burgundy, and see little if any oak, and the oak they do see is usually limousin oak France, far milder than American oak.
2006-08-14 16:02:31
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answer #3
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answered by Anonymous
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The younger and more the oak the more the chardonnay will taste vanillay and buttery. In my judgement most new world chardonnays are over oaked.
2006-08-14 11:58:09
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answer #4
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answered by Hank 6
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new oak gives subtle vanilla tones...sort of "sweetens" the chardonnay
2006-08-14 11:59:10
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answer #5
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answered by johyou 3
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I agree with Hank. Also see the reply to your other question I gave about warm/cool climate.
2006-08-14 12:37:11
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answer #6
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answered by obviously_you'renotagolfer 5
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