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April 2015 Oak Barrel Alternatives Issue

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April 2015 WINES&VINES 41 OAK BARREL ALTERNATIVES mentation are added to red grape varieties, and I primarily use oak that can go through my pumps. With fermentation oak, I typically use it mostly in the form of granular/dust (StaVin, Oak-Mor and e ¯vOAK), or occasionally oak chips (StaVin, e ¯vOAK and Nadalié). Re- cently, I have had some really good success with a grade of oak from Moxon called tobacco, which I would say is somewhere between granular and chip. Typically, I use this fermentation oak in order to get better color stabilization, rounder mouthfeel and improved structure. Most of the dust comes house-toasted, and I typically add it at the sump pump, dosing it into the must, post-destemmer. The rate of addition for most dust or granular doesn't exceed 1 pound of oak per ton of grapes, when grapes are healthy. In years of mold, rot or excessively herbaceous flavors, you can add up to 2 pounds to remedy these problems. Chips during fermentation can be added at a higher rate. In general, the larger the oak particle size, the larger the dose that's added. You can over-add dust and/or chips, so be very careful to do trials first and work with your supplier on recommended dosage rates. Chips typically can be added up to 10 pounds of oak per ton, but normal addition rates for me fall in the 4- to 6-pound range. In most cases, I am using the chips for color stabilization and structure, not to impart flavor. One trick I have learned is using at least 1 pound of untoasted chips in my "blend" of chips I add to a fermentation tank. I typically use French oak since I like the structural component it tends to add, but if cost is a consideration, I see no problem with using American oak. As far as toast goes, I typically go for the medium to medium-plus chip. I had problems early on with heavily toasted chips and the lingering smoke and burnt rubber flavors we got out. But that was almost 15 years ago, and I think chip selection and toasting methods have drastically improved since then. I rely heavily on talking with the sup- plier and have had good luck with finding a product that fits my needs through open dialogue and trial. W inemaker Chad Joseph grew up in the Central Valley town of Visalia, Calif., where he worked agricultural jobs from an early age. He first spent time around grapes during high school, when he would help his grandfather tend his vineyard of Thompson seedless table grapes. But when Joseph went off to Humboldt State University in Ar- cata, Calif., to study botany and chemistry, he planned to be a teacher. As often happens in Cali- fornia, he got interested in wine and, when he graduated in 1996, he decided to apply his skills to winemaking. "Winemaking was a total fit," he said. He went to work at E. & J. Gallo Winery in Modesto, Calif., starting as a lab technician. About three years later he had been named one of the winemakers, overseeing wines for brands such as Turning Leaf, Redwood Creek and Gallo Sonoma. Gallo was a university of its own, as Joseph was exposed to and participated in the company's constant experi- mentation. "The learning curve is just outstanding," he told Wines & Vines. While Joseph was managing more than 1 million gallons of wine, he wanted to work in a smaller, more boutique operation. So he founded his own brand, Joseph Narcizo Wines, named for his partner's grandfather, and became a consulting winemaker for several small wineries in the Lodi and Clarksburg AVAs. His consulting business thrived, so Joseph closed his brand after a few years. He now spends his time consulting for small wineries such as Harney Lane Vineyards, Maley Brothers, Dancing Coyote Wines and Oak Farm Vineyards, as well as working with growers who want to produce bulk wine. Q Please give us a general idea of which oak products you work with. You prefer the term oak adjuncts. Chad Joseph: I don't use oak adjuncts on all my wines, but I would lump the ones that I do use into two categories: oak added during fermentation and oak added as an aging/ finishing tool. Most of the oak adjuncts I add during fer- A CONVERSATION WITH Chad Joseph Using oak barrel alternatives to save money and add value By Laurie Daniel "You can over-add dust and/or chips, so be very careful to do trials first and work with your supplier on recommended dosage rates." Winemaker Chad Joseph got his start in the wine industry as a lab technician.

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