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July 2017 WINES&VINES 47 OAK BARRELS & ALTERNATIVES heads reinstated, then were filled with the barrel-fermented wine. The wine spent 209 days in barrel or stain- less steel and reached 14.3% alcohol and 5.8- 5.9 g/L of TA with pH of 3.62 (barrel) and 3.5 (stainless tank). The barrel-fermented samples seemed more spicy and peppery, and they were more viscous. The stainless sample seemed better balanced, but of course each will be blended. Jeffrey of Calluna Vineyards first experi- mented with red wine barrel fermentation in 2002 with Alain Raynaud in Bordeaux, a pio- neer with the practice. They used special bar- rels with large openings and roller racks that allowed them to be rotated. One barrel had a glass head for observation. Jeffrey admits that the process was "jerry rigged" and involved dumping the juice into a bucket and extracting the skins by hand. Jeffrey repeated the process at Calluna with eight to 10 barrels. He noted: "It was dramatic when you opened the barrel, with mostly juice spewing out along with some skins." The skins were removed with a small rake. He summarized the benefits of red wine barrel fermentation: • Good integration of oak into wine • Early exposure of oak • E x p o s u r e t o o a k i n t h e h e a t o f fermentation • Exposure to oak in the aqueous phase pre-fermentation • A significant amount of oak character in the wine • Sets good color • Depth of flavor through submerged cap • Allows longer fermentation • Tannins integrate, but lots of tannin Andy Schweiger of Schweiger Vineyards & Winery experimented with open-top bar- rels in 2014, then worked with the Perle egg or teardrop-shaped fermentors during the 2015 harvest, comparing wine fermented in T-bins to fermentation in Perle de Quintes- sence fermentors. He said he didn't find the Perles suitable for aging, as the narrow top caused wine to evapo- rate quickly. He said analysis showed lower concentra- tions of seed tannins and an increase in polym- erized anthocyanins by fermenting in the wooden Perles. During the 2016 harvest, Schweiger wanted to compare fermenting in Perles to traditional 225-liter barrels with their heads removed. The wines were 100% estate Cabernet Sauvignon from Schweiger's Montaire Block, and all were harvested Sept. 23 at 26.9° Brix. The pH was 3.78 and TA 6.4 g/L. The fruit was destemmed, hand-sorted and divided between five different trial lots: • Control (stainless steel): 1.8 ton • 2015 "one vintage used" Perle fermen- tor: two 0.8 ton • 2016 "new" Perle fermentor: two 0.8 ton • 2016 Demptos Reserve medium-plus toasted barrels with heads removed: four 0.9 ton • 2016 Quintessence barrel, custom to match wood selection and toast level of Perle barrels: four 0.9 ton He measured a few statistical differences in the phenolic analyses of these wines: The catechins/tannin index (or "seediness") ranged for 0.027 in the Perle de Quintessence to 0.029 in the open-top barrels to 0.037 in the stainless control sample. The polymeric anthocyanins/tannin index that tracked softness/roundness ranged from 0.071 in stainless to 0.076 in both oak trials. ETS Laboratories provided the analysis of the wines presented during the conference. Schweiger said he would like to try a trial in a concrete egg, too. He noted that the size of the container did seem to matter, but it he was not sure that shape played a role. Schweiger noted that visitors loved the Per- les. "It's good for marketing," he said. Schweiger admits that this was only one trial done in one replicate by one very small winery, and he recommends other winemakers conduct the own trials. "Ask questions, share with your peers, ask more questions, strive for perfection, join the dialogue. Get outside peo- ple to taste your trials." He added, "If think you're too small to afford quality analysis, team up with other wineries, and get suppliers and the media involved." for the winery professional for the winery professional Visit our website to view our winery brochure and see our list of satisfied winery customers! ClearWater Tech is the leading provider of ozone disinfection equipment for the winery industry. Offering a unique family of stationary and mobile ozone systems that assure microbe free surfaces to: • DISINFECT HOPPERS • CONVEYORS • DESTEMMERS • CRUSHERS • BARRELS • FERMENTATION TANKS • TRANSFER LINES • HOSES • CLAMPS • VALVES • FITTINGS • FLOORS • WALLS • DRAINS wine@cwtozone.com | wine.cwtozone.com ClearWater Tech, LLC - Since 1986 Ozone Systems for Water & Air Purification 805.549-9724 | 800-262-0203 805.549-9724 | 800-262-0203 Attendeees at the Wines & Vines Oak Conference taste through barrel-fermented red wines.