Proper Use of Oak An alternative history with a perspective for the small mid-western producer Rick Jones Consulting Winemaker Rsjoneswine@gmail.com 707.319.1376
Who am I? Flint native, Flint Central 72, lived in CA since 79 Winemaking Background UC Davis grad BS/MS 82/ 84 Winemaker at San Martin, Jepson Co-founder of Vinovation 1992, VA Reduction Oenodev USA- Patrick Ducourneau, micro-ox Clients wineries in Spain, Argentina, NZ as well as California Always questioning-you should too-even what I say Not representing any commercial oak interest.
Why do we use oak in our wines? We need storage vessels
Ok but that still doesn t answer the question- Why Oak? First wines made and stored in clay pots, still is in many places as Georgia
Ok but that still doesn t answer the question- Why Oak? And there are other materials we could use that are either cheaper, cleaner, more durable Concrete, glass, lined and stainless steel Other woods Acacia, Cherry, Juniper Pine
A Historical Accident Oak Barrels don t start with wine but ships Louis XIV and Napoleon wanted a navy to defeat the British Best ships were made from Oak so he ordered the great oak forest of France planted. 300 years later were get the benefit
Ok that s how we came to use oak..but why do we still use it. We don t store nails or molasses or fish in barrels anymore
Oak Aromas Aromas from wood before toasting Aromas from toasting process Aroma is only a part of the story but a big part Oak also brings tannins important in structure and aroma persistence Oxygen
A Big Thank You (In Advance) Oneodev/Vivelys/Patrick Ducorrneau INRA Tom Collins PhD Wash. State Wine Science Center Linda Bisson & Kay Bogart UC Davis Alexander Schmidt Wine and Flavors LLC
Things that everyone knows about Oak When it comes to quality: French > American> Eastern European Barrels>Staves>Chips> Dust But often the common wisdom is neither common nor wise.
Role of the barrel Aromas Image Small lots/ Storage Structure Settling Oxygen
I ve smelled this before (familiar) Yes No I know the word for this aroma I can t name it
Aromas present before toasting Aroma #1 Vanillin. Present in fresh wood Increases with seasoning and toasting Vanilla, Candy
Oak The raw material
General oak wood chemical composition EXTRACTIBLES 5-10 % Phenolic compounds (lignans, coumarins, ellagitanins) Volatile odor compounds CEMENT between FIBERS LIGNIN 25-30 % CELLULOSE 40-45 % Long chains of b-d-glucose Alliphatic Compounds (hydrocarbons, fatty acids) HEMICELLULOSE 20-25 % Chains of hexose and pentose FIBER CONSTITUANTS OENODEV - BOISE France www.oenodev.com (INRA)
Honestly, I don t have anything against barrels but. Wide variability in the raw material Inconsistency in toasting methods, levels Large format = large variance = lack of control Minimum number for a real barrel trial 12-20 For smaller producers: Chips>>staves>barrels Even so, barrels are magic
Aromas present before toasting Aroma #2 Whiskey Lactone/Methyl octalactone Coconut/Peach in White Wine Dill or Herbaceous at times in Red Wine American Oak>>French Oak Concentration can vary greatly even in same forest and up to 800% between forests Will be extracted in old or neutral barrels
Example of variability in the same forest Dispersion around average concentration of whiskylactone «cis» on a lot of tree of Cîteaux Forest -40% -20% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% Moyenne
Chips vs. Barrels Cost Versatility Choice Easy to use Space-saving No maintenance Fast effects enable trials Image Know-how to be developed Image Tradition and know-how Complexity Cost Lack of versatility Inconsistency Space & labor Sanitation and maintenance Needs time, not test-able
µg/g 25.0 20.0 15.0 10.0 5.0 0.0 trans-oak lactone cis-oak lactone eugenol vanillin Q. petraea France Q. petraea Romania
Aromas present before toasting Aroma #3 2-Nonenal Sawdust/Plank/Resin Very low threshold Decreases during seasoning Requires 24 months of air drying to be below threshold Decreases with high toast Most common defect
SYRINGEALDEHYDE TRANS-2 NONENAL VANILLIN EUGENOL LACTONES TANNINS 1 2 3 Years (P. Chatonnet 1994) www.oenodev.com
Aromas from Toasting Aroma #1 Vanillin Present in untoasted but greatly increased with heat Light to medium toast is maximum retention Higher toasts cause Vanillin to volatize
Relative concentration. Absorbance. 100.0% 0.4 Furfural 75.0% 0.3 Cis whiskylactone Gaiacol Isoeugénol Vanilline 50.0% 0.2 25.0% 0.1 ABS 400nm 0.0% BF 160 C 170 c 180 C 190 C 200 C 210 C 220 C 0
Aromas from Toasting Aroma #4 5 Methyfurfural Toasted bread, sweet, caramel, coffee, fruity Like vanillin, increases then decreases with increasing toast temperature One of many compounds known as furans Synergistic Toasty, caramelized sugars
Aromas from Toasting Aroma #5 Furfural Spicy, toasted bread, sweet, caramel, coffee, fruity Like vanillin, increases then decreases with high toast temperature One of many compounds known as furans caramelized sugars Compare with wine #4
Aromas from Toasting Aroma # 6 Eugenol Clove/spice Also present in untoasted wood but increases with higher toast
Eugenol/Isoeugenol (µg/g) Temp ( C) Eugenol and isoeugenol content during toasting Eugenol is present in untoasted wood; isoeugenol was not in this wood prior to toasting 2.0 1.8 1.6 1.4 1.2 Eugenol Iso-eugenol Temp 200.0 180.0 160.0 140.0 120.0 Eugenol increases then decreases as toasting continues 1.0 0.8 0.6 100.0 80.0 60.0 Isoeugenol increases after toasting begins but then decreases again 0.4 0.2 40.0 20.0 0.0 0.0
Aromas from Toasting Aroma #7 Guiacol Phenolic, band-aid, smoky Marker molecule for smoke taint Increases with increasing toast levels
Aromas from Toasting Aroma #8 Cresol Heavy smoke/bbq/char Only found in high toast barrels
Suppliers Adjuncts or Alternatives Only Boise France Innerstave Stavin Adjuncts with other Enological Products Laffort, Enartis, Vason Barrels
Bonus ThermoFlash Coming to Michigan
Flash Extraction or ThermoFlash or Flash Détente or Flash Definition: Heating of grapes quickly (2-5 minutes) to very high temperature (190 o F) followed by instantaneous cooling via vacuum chamber
Domaine Mouréou 32400 MAUMUSSON LAGUIAN FRANCE
The COOLER UNIT
Why? Quality Enhancement Reduce/Eliminate Pyrazine, Foxiness Better Color & Tannin Extraction Denature Laccase Reduce/Eliminate Mold Character Stronger, Different Fruit Expression 10% concentration of Juice New Wine Styles
Thank You Michigan!