Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/480754
36 WINES&VINES April 2015 OAK BARREL ALTERNATIVES feature we're adding to our product line," said Scott Erwin, the company's business-develop- ment and sales manager. "It serves as a simple way to work and manage oak staves in tanks (and) can be removed with a forklift without draining the tank." He said a cellar worker could probably re- move the basket manually but would have to remove the oak products first. The basket has been designed to fit the company's 20-inch manway gasket on the top of the tank. New toasts, new alternatives Seguin Moreau continues to expand its line of alternative products. At the 2014 Unified show, the cooper unveiled its Oenofirst product, which is a log of compressed chips designed for use during fermentation. Oenofirst is avail- able with toasted and untoasted chips, and Marion Blanchet Ghiringhelli, the company's oak barrel alternatives sales manager, said that in the United States about 85% of her orders are for the untoasted Oenofirst. At this year's Unified, Seguin Moreau brought its new R02 and R03 oak chip blends. Ghiringhelli said the R02 is designed to en- hance fruity aromas and build mouthfeel, while the R02 brings more sweetness and roundness to the wine. The chips have a recommended extraction time of one to four months after primary fermentation. The chips come as a mix of French, Ameri- can and Hungarian wood as well as varying toasts. "It's a house recipe," Ghiringhelli said. "We try to blend the optimal profiles for what we want to achieve." Pronektar, the barrel alternatives division of Tonnellerie Radoux, introduced a new stave called Nektar Exclusive. Thomas Bioulou, Pronektar's lead enologist, said the new stave is intended for the long-term aging of quality wines. "Nektar Exlusive is the answer to the increasing demand of our customers who wish to set up highly qualitative aging for top-of- range wines made from grapes of vineyards prepared carefully," he said. Seguin Moreau introduced the Oenofirst log in 2014.