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48 WINES&VINES April 2016 OAK BARREL ALTERNATIVES AGROVIN Agrovin's Spirit line of chips are made with Iberian Oak (Quercus pyrenaica) that the company says is well suited for winemak- ing because of its high level of oak ellagitannin and permeabil- ity. The line includes the un- toasted Nature chips for fermen- tation, medium-toasted Structure chips to build mouth- feel and boost aromas and the "intensely toasted" Elegance chips to "elegantly maximize" the wine's flavors while bringing out notes of caramel, coffee, smoke and licorice. agrovin.com PRODUCT FOCUS Oak Barrel Alternative Products The days of raw-cut oak chips and discarded stave wood are long gone. Oak barrel alternative products are now available in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, toasts and even wood types. Wines & Vines checked with oak suppliers about the latest batch of alternative innovations. By Andrew Adams SEGUIN MOREAU Seguin Moreau added a "Fin- isher" to its Oenofirst line of oak "logs" produced with com- pressed oak chips. The Finisher is a mix of air convection- toasted French and American oak chips and intended to pro- vide a stable sensory profile for wines made to be consumed within one year of bottling. The Finisher can also be used to add complexity and balance to bulk wine a few weeks prior to bottling. Finisher logs are also suitable for masking veg- etal aromas and can make wines "sweeter and rounder." seguinmoreaunapa.com TONNELLERIE RADOUX Tonnellerie Radoux's Pronektar alternatives division recently un- veiled Extreme staves that have been categorized by tannin con- tent through Radoux's OakScan process. The staves are available in low, medium and high tannin, and the supplier claims it offers unmatched precision for making oak additions. The company also added its Extreme line of staves that have also gone through the OakScan but are 17 mm thick rather than 7 mm. The thicker stave provides for a longer ex- traction time of 10 to 12 months to recreate premium barrel aging in a tank. tonnellerieradoux.com/ pronektar.htm Tonnellerie Radoux Boise France BOISE FRANCE Boise France of Vively's SC100 chips are designed to bring "richness, mellowness and sweetness" to red, rosé and white wines. With an extraction time of five weeks, the chips can be used at various stages of the winemaking process, as needed. The typical dosing rate is 1 to 5 grams per liter, de- pending on the impact desired. vivelys.com