Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/60007
BARRELS cooperage, "they are closer to French attributes than to American." Winemaker Phillip Corallo-Titus at Chappellet Winery in Napa says he started trials in the 1990s without much consequence; the barrels were fine, but they just didn't do anything further. When Trust barrels came onto the market several years ago, partnered with François Frères, he took another look, did some side-by-side trials and gradually increased the number of barrels from eight to 20 to 40 to the current 20%-25% of his barrel inventory. "Only recently," he says, "are we getting to the point where we can identify the differences in-house; it took a while." Kinne says he can taste the difference, but adds that he'd "use Hungarian oak just about anywhere I'd use French oak." Lindsay Stevenz at King Ferry/Treleaven in the Finger Lakes says her Hungarian barrels "are not exactly like the French, but for the cost, they're a pretty close approximation." Distinctions and dollars With a decade of widespread experience, users of Hungarian and central Euro- pean oak share a modest consensus on what may be distinctive about this wood. Wine Club Solution for QuickBooks POS Extend QuickBooks POS & QuickBooks Accounting with apowerful wine club solution Affordable? YES! $ 500.00 one-time fee (transaction fees apply) See a demo & learn about our proven success of working with 200+ clubs "The fact that French and Hungarian oak are the same species should be known to every barrel buyer in the free world," says Mel Knox, broker for Trust Hungary and Kadar barrels. ActiveClub_Dec08.qxp 10/27/08 3:26 PM Several of my informants mentioned sup- port for a fuller mid-palate, and several mentioned an attractive spiciness that often sets them apart from their French counterparts. When varying forest con- ditions are combined with subtle cooper- ing differences and multiple toast level options, the menu offerings become al- most endless. Peter Molnar of Kadar Hungary says that when their barrels first got put to work on Napa Cabernets many years back, during the ascendancy of the big, bold, high-extract style, winemakers thought there was something missing. True enough; most Hungarian oak won't deliver the same structure that French oak does, but it can do other things French oak can't, especially 866-450-CLUB(2582) www.activeclubmanagement.com info@activeclubmanagement.com Wines & Vines FeBRUARY 2012 37 KADAR HUNGARY