Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/804714
April 2017 WINES&VINES 47 The blocks also offer some com- plexity in the extraction process because they provide sweeter fla- vors from the exterior, toasted sur- face and also expose the wine to the interior areas of the stave that were not toasted. Burch said the infusion bags only need three to four months of total extraction time and have been used successfully in white wine fermentations. He said he's also been offering clients what Radoux is calling its "Nektar ID" samples, which are produced by steeping a pack of staves in a proportioned amount of wine to produce a concentrated oak solution. Rather than waiting weeks to see what a small sample pack of alternatives can do in a 750 ml bottle of wine, Burch said he can sit down with a winemaker and run some quick blending trials with the liquid and see what the effects could be almost instant. "It's just a way for us to help our customers understand our prod- uct and get them to a decision faster," he said. "Lots of winemak- ers do this; a lot of wineries make 'oak tea' or an oak concentrate and use that to blend their wines." Seguin Moreau has changed the format of its Oenofirst and Oenofinisher logs, which are pro- duced with a blend of French and American oak chips compressed together. The cooper is reducing the logs in size from 4.4 pounds to 1.65-pound bricks. "It allows winemakers to use smaller incre- ments on small lots," said oak alternatives sales manager Mar- ion Ghiringhelli. The company also is expand- ing the range of the products with new profiles for short contact times of one to two weeks at 1-2 g/L dosage rates that include Toast Booster, Vanille and Spirit Booster for spirits. Fine Northern Oak, which is owned by Seguin Moreau, added two new toasts to its line of Amer- ican oak chips: medium toast and The French Leader in Barrel Alternatives Over 1000 wineries in France and hundreds worldwide benefit from VINEA enological oak quality, consistency, and performance. Jean-Christophe Varron, the owner and founder, pioneered barrel alternatives in France and has over 20 years of experience in adjuncts. VINEA French oak adds volume, length, and layered flavor/aromatic components to your wine for elegant barrel-like results. Guaranteed naturally air-dried Available in VINICERAM ™ ceramic radiant or classic fire toast, VINEA offers a complete collection of alternatives to address your needs at any point in the winemaking process: tank staves • segments • barrel inserts • chips For more information on the VINEA range of oak tools, pricing, and to obtain samples for trial, please contact: THE BOSWELL COMPANY (415) 457-3955 staff@boswellcompany.com www.boswellcompany.com Superior protecƟon against oxidaƟon New XtraPure® from XtraChêne is a winemaker's best ally to protect must and wine from destrucƟve oxidaƟon. Sourced from a French forest selected for its anƟ-oxidant capacity, XtraPure® is the result of extensive study, scienƟfic analysis and winemaking trials. Our unique recipe of seasoning and heat treatment maximizes the effecƟveness of XtraPure®. 707.843.4407 • sales@xtraoak.com • www.xtrachene.fr Enemy. Ally. ¨ OAK BARREL ALTERNATIVES & TANNINS SUPPLIERS Company Phone Website AFTEK Inc. (585) 458-7550 aftekfilters.com AGROVIN USA (707) 387-0810 agrovin.com Barrel Builders Inc. (707) 963-9963 barrelbuilders.com Bayard Fox Selections (707) 812-4554 bayardfoxselections.com The Boswell Co. (415) 457-3955 boswellcompany.com Bouchard Cooperages (707) 257-3582 bouchardcooperages.com Brick Packaging Corp. Inc. (866) 770-7600 brickpackaging.com BSG HandCraft (800) 999-2440 bsghandcraft.com BSG Wine (707) 252-2550 bsgwine.com Canton Cooperage (707) 836-9742 cantoncooperage.com OAK BARREL ALTERNATIVES Quercus Concepts touts its new Eco Impact staves as a "groovy" option that offers more oak impact from the same amount of oak.