Fermentation is at an end here in Vinoland, at the winery where I work and, I daresay, most every other winery in the Napa Valley. Now, the arduous cellar operation of barrelling down every last drop of adolescent wine is the job at hand.Aging wine in an oak barrel serves two main purposes. Firstly, there is the slow oxidation of the wine through the porous grain of the barrel, which aids in the enhancement of the bouquet of the aging wine. Secondly, there is the addition of oak phenolics from the inner surface of the barrel, which when combined with the aroma component of a young wine can also enhance the wine's bouquet.
It is said that every cloud has a silver lining...or in this case every barrel has a M+ toasted interior. There is a definite bright side to one particular European country having been hit hard by the global economic crisis. French oak barrels are a real bargain this year at only about $900 each, down on average about 10 % from the past 2 - 3 years.
I wonder if the Greeks have ever considered going into the barrel business?
5 comments:
If it lifted the standard of Napa wine to that of retsina or domestica it would be worth their while.
Vinogirl you have a great way of posting short, informative blog entries.
Those people at the annual blog awards should create a category for that talent.
they are lovely, too, aren't they?
Lovely barrels....good enough to drown a Duke in!
Thud: You like Retsina then?
Thomas: You're right, there should be a category called 'being constantly short on time'.
Phlemmy: They smell great too, especially when filled with aging wine.
Affer: Malmsey...hic!
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