Re: Volatile acidity and barrels

Dear Lee:

On Jan 1, 9:29 am, Lee <lg1...@xxxxxxx> wrote:
I usually make red wine in 6-8 gallon batches, always from
grapes. About 3-4 years ago, I started aging in small french
oak barrels, initially with really good results.  But lately, I'm
getting a definite acetone smell in my reds, especially the
cabs and nebbiolos. I think I'm coming to the same
conclusion that I've read in lots of places...that "small barrels
are like wooden sailboats...the idea sounds great, but in
practice they're more trouble than they're worth".  Usually, I
just empty one barrel, wash it out with hot water, then re-fill
with another wine.

I have a couple of questions:
1.  Once you have a problem with volatile acidity in a barrel, is
there any recourse other than to throw away the barrel?

If you are in wine country, barrel rinsing equipment that uses ozone
should be readily available. Companies like Mazzei and McClain Ozone
(and more) make small systems that will let you "recondition" the
barrels prior to reuse.

This method is used for large and small barrels, for brews from wine
to aged hard liquor.

David A. Smith
.

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