Numerous techniques have been used by winemakers in an
effort to consistently create superior wines. Two of these techniques (and
variations of them) have proven most effective at meeting the needs of
winemakers: the first is realized through the influence of toasted oak and the
second is achieved through the effective use of air and
oxygen.
Traditionally, the
influence of toasted oak on wine occurred through storage in toasted oak
barrels. Furthermore, oxygen or air supplied to the wine was thought to occur
only by permeation through the oak barrel. Both traditional approaches can
produce wines with well-integrated flavors and aging. However, since all grapes
are not the same, conditions must be varied to bring out the best in a
particular wine.
American
and Australian winemakers have pioneered the use of oak integration systems in
the production of superior wines. Four alternatives to barrels (chips, beans,
segments and staves) allow the winemaker to dictate the quality and type of
toasted oak that a wine will experience. However, whereas oak integration
systems could supply flavor, they could not induce aging or
maturation.
It was not
until the introduction of a French oxygen micro-metering device that a true
alternative to barrels for flavor and aging was made possible. The use of a
device to meter in small quantities of oxygen, combined with the proper level
of toasted oak, gives the winemaker a degree of control over wine production
never before possible. A winemaker can now give the wine what it needs - no
more, no less - in terms of flavor and aging.
The Fermentation section
of this website recommends how, when and where to apply toasted oak and micro
oxygenation, helping the winemaker produce enhanced wines in a consistent
manner.
The
StaVin products section explains how to integrate
quality toasted oak with your wines.
Chemistry details the chemical
structures when using micro oxygenation and toasted oak in red
winemaking.
The purpose of
this website is to give winemakers more flexibility and control in their
constant endeavor to create better wines. |
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