Why ferment wine in concrete?

Why Concrete? An oak barrel does more than simply store wine. “Concrete allows for micro-oxygenation, whereby the aging is similar to a barrel but without imparting oak aromas or flavors,” says Stephanie Jacobs, winemaker of Cakebread Cellars in Napa Valley.

Why concrete wine tanks?

concrete gives the wine the weight and texture of a barrel fermentation, but rather than tasting like a barrel, the wine tastes like where it was grown.” Michael Bartier, winemaker for Haywire Winery, puts it this way, “Concrete does a very good job of showcasing a wine’s true terroir.

How long do stainless steel wine tanks last?

“We tend to find that an average stainless steel fermentation is, for us, about 15–17 days,” Morell says. “When we go into concrete tanks, we tend to see that those fermentations last more like 24–27 days.” This impacts the aromas, texture and flavor of the resulting wine.

How much is a concrete egg?

Bare cost and unquantifiable cool Ehlers, which uses Sonoma Cast Stone, shells out around $14,000 for a concrete egg with a 470-gallon capacity. A 60-gallon French puncheon, meanwhile costs $1000, and a stainless steel tank (3 tons) costs about $13,000.

Can wine be aged in glass?

Unlike concrete and cement, whose porous materials permit contact between oxygen and wine, vinification in glass is done in an airtight space, often referred to as a reductive environment, making the vessel more similar to stainless steel than wood.

Can you ferment wine in stainless steel?

Stainless Steel Tanks Sanitation is a large factor in the winemaking process, which makes this a very important factor. Stainless steel tanks are a common sight in wineries. The properties of stainless steel make it a great fit for fermentation (and storage) tanks, and overall investment for your winery.

Can you age wine in concrete?

Like oak, concrete’s porous nature allows oxygen to penetrate through the vessel and interact with the wine. Unlike oak, which commonly imparts notes of vanilla, baking spice, or coconut, concrete aged wines develop in a “flavorless” environment (in that way, the material is similar to steel).

What do you call the tiny particles in wine?

When sediment, dregs or the little crystals also known as “wine diamonds” appear in the bottom of a glass, they present no danger. Most of the time, sediment in wine is either tartrate crystals (“wine diamonds”) or spent yeast, called lees, which are both natural byproducts. Neither is harmful to your body.

What is the difference between steel and oaked wines?

Steel aging produces wines with fruit forward aromas and a fresh, crisp taste. Oak aged wines impart a creamy texture from Malolactic, secondary fermentation, distinct aromas, and plethora of tastes; caramel, cinnamon, coconut, marshmallow, nutmeg, smoke & toasted bread.

What is a wine egg?

Egg whites, or albumen, is one such fining agent used to clarify red wines. Egg whites are particularly good for removing tannin particles, especially green or harsh tannins, rendering the wine more round and soft in texture.

What is a concrete egg in wine making?

Semi-porous materials such as concrete, ceramic, terracotta, and permeable plastic, are most often used to make egg-shaped fermenters. These building materials offer a way to expose the wine to small levels of aeration.

Why do winemakers still use concrete tanks?

A dozen or so years ago it became fashionable for winemakers to go back to concrete tanks. They had better “thermic inertia”. Then came a period when everyone wanted to try the egg-shaped (yes!) concrete tanks. They kept the lees in constant movement and contributed body, it was said.

What is the best way to ferment red wine?

Most of the color, taste and body of a red wine is derived from the skins, so it is very important to mix the skins and the juice throughout fermentation to insure that the flavor compounds are fully extracted from the skins. Punching down is the oldest and gentlest method, works best in small open toped fermenters.

Which containers do winemakers use for their wine?

The container was: Stainless steel tank. One of the most common containers. But one that is usually not used by the winemaker for this wine. The winemaker’s comment: “I usually don’t use stainless steel for these grapes, for this cuvée, I think mostly they need a different kind of ‘élevage’.”

What type of barrel is used to age wine in?

Oak barrels, as I mentioned, although only a tiny fraction of the world’s wine production is aged in wooden casks. A dozen or so years ago it became fashionable for winemakers to go back to concrete tanks.