Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/107279
COVER STORY Puncheons and hogsheads Mondavi Winery, which is lined with 56 large Taransaud fermentors. While some wineries are using large oak tanks for fermentation, more are using oversized barrels, often called puncheons and hogsheads for varying sizes. Schug Carneros Estate Winery in Sonoma, Calif., uses 130- to 160-gallon puncheons from Radoux and 320- to 360-gallon barrels—as well as some barrels holding 640 gallons. Schug also has large oval profile tanks that hold 350 to 1,100 gallons and are used for aging reds and whites. The winery's founder Walter Schug learned winemaking in his native Germany, and much of the wood is from Germany. Schug winemaker Mike Cox uses the larger formats to ferment Sonoma Coast Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. "It advances the nature of the wine," he says. "The fruit is more forward, and there's some softening. It's also more yeasty in character." He ferments the wine in stainless steel, where it's easier to control temperature, then finishes it in the large tanks. Cox also uses ovals for reds, primarily for malolactic fermentation. "We toss in a bag of oak chips to fix color in lighter wines," he says, adding that the tanks are old enough that there's little impact from the wood. Cox inoculates with malolactic bacteria at the start of the season and says it's enough for repeated uses. He keeps some lighter Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir in ovals year-round—both for aging and to maintain the barrels. His Carneros Pinot goes to barrels, however. Cox admits that all the big oak requires a lot of maintenance. He likes using ozone to sanitize them and figures they're good for 30 years. Jean Hoefliger of Alpha Omega, in addition to his experience with large oak fermenting tanks, ages Chardonnay and Syrah in Win es & Vin es F EB RUA RY 20 13 35