QOTD — in Cab blends, I love the Oak Monster. In good powerful ones, whole colonies can happily live there. In many other reds, inc. dessert and fortified reds, I am glad to find baby oak monsters. I also don’t mind finding traces of oak monsters in chardonnays of all sorts (as long as they are only traces). Other whites and all pinks? They never should have been with fifty feet of the forest. I remember an over-oaked viognier from Rabbit Ridge . . . I just looked at it and asked, ‘But . . . why?’

Very good ep, GV, (though I believe the shattered glass may have been one made for the SF party last May).

My first serious wine glass just broke very recently. Breakage is always a shame to see… who knew it was on its last legs.

QOTD: No to Oak

QOTD: i am not for or against the oak monster. i haven’t had a bad enough experience with him to dislike him, and the experiences i have had do not make me excited.

oak monster = meh… who cares

Why don’t we talk to some expert winemakers and get the real jist on what
oak can do with aging – we are always drinking young – oak developes with age and ‘calms’ a little in time. What about touching on New and Old oak.
What about the differences between French and American oak. Let’s really
get down and dirty on oak to NOT abuse the real effort and money spent on
barrels and their role to play in our wine passion.

There is more to be had here!!

P.S. My wife says hi and your name is household here. (Brazil)

QOTD: I am very new to wine and have only tasted about 10 wines, so I don’t really know if I have even met the Oak Monster because I still have no idea what I am smelling or tasting in wine.

Vivian FTW!!

QOTD: I am very new to wine and have only tasted about 10 wines, so I don’t really know if I have even met the Oak Monster because I still have no idea what I am smelling or tasting in wine.

Vivian FTW!!

QOTD: a little oak is ok, but no oak attack, thank you!

I smelled a wine the other night and told my fiance it smelled like stuffing and he looked at me like I was insane. 🙂

I agree wholeheartedly with latraviata! Hooray for Vivian, down with the Oak Monster

Absolutely AGAINST oak! I like wines where I have to work to detect it or not at all.

Absolutely AGAINST oak! I like wines where I have to work to detect it or not at all.

What a dick he broke the VAYNIAC glass!

QOTD: Kinda neutral on the Oak Monster. I guess most of us have some threshold beyond which it can be too much. A little can be a nice addition, but too much can mask the rest of the wine. But how much is too much? Trust your Pal, right?

Oak Monster is no good.

Balance is the key as with everything, too much of anything(such as sugar,alcohol,lack of acidity)is a turnoff but how boring would wine be without any oak barrels. When the primary flavor is charred vanilla that’s not good but winery’s that charge extra for not using oak are ripping us off. Variety is fun, sometimes you want a chardonnay that tastes like buttered popcorn.

Balance is the key as with everything, too much of anything(such as sugar,alcohol,lack of acidity)is a turnoff but how boring would wine be without any oak barrels. When the primary flavor is charred vanilla that’s not good but winery’s that charge extra for not using oak are ripping us off. Variety is fun, sometimes you want a chardonnay that tastes like buttered popcorn.

Gotta say the whole oak monster thing isn’t a yes or no, but rather a spectrum. It doesn’t piss me off, but it is kind of obnoxious. I like tasting it, but the dominance needs to be checked. Monsters are fine as long as they aren’t all there is.
Also thank you, I have now after watching this show become curious and aware of the presence of oak in wine and am now much more adept in picking it up and analyzing it!

QOTD: When there is so much oak that you have to call it a monster then I am totally against it; however, if the oak is subtle and well integrated then it can be quite pleasing.

QOTD: When there is so much oak that you have to call it a monster then I am totally against it; however, if the oak is subtle and well integrated then it can be quite pleasing.

QOTD: I am down with a little oak monster. But Mr Oak Monster is that friend you don’t like to hang out with alone because he doesn’t have any substance.

Why is Gary wearing the same shirt three days in a row? 😉

QOTD: No.

LOVE Vivian!

Why is Gary wearing the same shirt three days in a row? 😉

QOTD: No.

LOVE Vivian!

I’m an independent….which means I can”t make up my mind.

Gary, I don’t think you can be 100% for or against the oak monster all the time. Like any component of wine (pH, TA, RS, alcohol…whichever), oak works as long as it’s in balance with everything else. There are some wines out there that are loaded with oak, and it works out fine, but if you want to throw your, say, Sauv Blanc in new American for a few years and expect it to be nice and balanced…well..you can forget about that.
I vote FOR the oak monster on the following condition–he’s locked up in his cage or yard or wherever you want to keep the big fella where he can’t hurt anyone. He can run around and do his thing and you know he’s there, but he’ll never break out and come after you!