The ‘Carbonation’ is considered the least expensive (and also considered the least prestigious) method of sparkling wine production. It consists in injecting carbon dioxide into a base wine in order to create a sparkling wine…
A ‘Butt’ barrel is a type of barrel usually associated with Sherry production in Jerez Spain. It is traditionally made from American oak and has a capacity of between 600 and 650 liters (172 gal). A ‘Bota Chica’ or ‘shipping barrel’ holds 500 liters…
The ‘Laccase’ is a powerful oxidizing enzyme that is connected to Botrytis (bunch rot developing under certain conditions), which causes browning of grape must.
The wood used to ferment and/or age a wine has a profound and multifaceted effect on its characteristics and flavors. Notwithstanding the type of wood used which greatly impact the flavor profile of a wine (vanilla, coconut…), certain substances found in wood may be incorporated and metabolized directly into the wine…
Essential oils known as “terpenes” can be found in American oak and, to a lesser extent, in certain French oak.
‘Volatile Phenols’ are lignin degradation products that are not encountered when brand new oak barrels are not heated (not toasted) during their making process.
Vanillin, a lignin degradation product, is the most well-known member of the Phenolic Aldehydes group. Noticeably, the more oak barrels are heated (toasted) during their making process,
‘Lactones’ are responsible for the oak aromas released into a wine during the wood aging process.
Carbohydrate degradation products are part of a large and complex group that includes furfurals, cyclotene, and maltol.
The term “low-input viticulture” refers to an alternative to traditional viticulture that aims to reduce all inputs to a vineyard…