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WINEMAKING Coopers Roll Out Innovations F rom barrels shaped in water to barrels made from acacia wood, from barrels streamlined for red wine fermentation to appellated American oak, winemak- ers have more barrel options to work with than ever before. In an industry that dates back to the Roman Empire, abundant new product releases may signify that both the wine and cooperage industries are alive and well. Many of these new barrel options are new to the market, and some are still in the trial stages. A few products aren't slated to launch until the 2012 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium in Sacramento, Calif., in January. Water shaping, acacia wood, red wine fermentations and more By Kerry Kirkham Highlights • Due to increased demand, red wine barrel fermentation op- tions are on the rise. • Coopers tout the water-bending process as a path to softer tannins. • Appellated American oak targets sensory impact through specific grain options. Watering the roses Via email through a translator, Franck Renaudin, director of Bor- deaux, the French Tonnellerie Quintessence, discussed the cooper- age's new Hydro-Dynamique water-bent barrel, which is poised to launch at Unified. Instead of fire-bending, where staves are pre-heated over a fire, in the water-bending process coopers use hot water or steam to pre-heat the wood prior to bending. "Our method is designed to reduce the oak tannin and prepare the oak for toasting in a way that will result in a softer mouthfeel," Renau- din said. Renaudin explained, "Tannin is very soluble in water. There- fore we immerse the rose—a raised barrel with only one hoop on one side—in a custom tank. What makes this barrel unique is our use of continual water circulation to promote optimal tan- nin extraction. The constant movement prevents an equilibrium film from being formed, which accelerates the rate of extraction. Also, thanks to the water-filtration system we can maintain an ideal environment for tannin extraction throughout the day. Since molecules tend to move from high to low concentration, filtering the water maximizes the gradient from high to low and leads to a thorough extraction for every barrel." 36 Wines & Vines OCTOBeR 2011 The Vicard Tonnelleries Vinificateur barrel includes a bilge hatch, racking valve and tasting valve. Tonnellerie Quintessence has dedicated this process to French oak (Quercus petraea), which, according to Renaudin, has up to 10 times more tannin content than American oak, Quercus alba. Through a specialized toast, the Hydro-Dynamique was designed for light to medium reds. For reds, Renaudin suggested Pinot Noir, some Syrah and Merlot. For white wines, he mentioned Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Semillon. Fermenting in barrel For those wishing to ferment in an oak barrel for extraction, color concentration and softer integrated tannins, Cooperages 1912 re- cently launched a red wine fermentation option for its T.W. Boswell collection. Jason Stout, international sales director at Napa, Calif.- based Cooperages 1912, said, "Fermenting red wine in oak barrels is nothing new, but there's been a trend in the past five to 10 years—it has become more popular. It takes a lot of skill and labor to do. Not everyone has the time and ability to pop a head out of a barrel."