I've noticed that some bottles specifically indicate that they were oak-aged. Aren't all wines oak-aged? If not, how else are they aged?
- posted
20 years ago
I've noticed that some bottles specifically indicate that they were oak-aged. Aren't all wines oak-aged? If not, how else are they aged?
Stainless steel is popular for many wines, especially whites. As a matter of fact, most whites never even see oak. Even oak-aged Chardonnays are later stored in stainless steel, once the amount of oak flavor desired has been reached. At least that's what they tell you during the winery tours.
ED
Indeed oak-aged wines need not be aged in wood. Could be aged in stainless steel with oak chips.
What little oak was used in Mosel is largely abandoned today. Anyway, they didn't usually see more than a few months in barrel before bottling during spring following the harvest. There and elsewhere the desire is to get the maximum of the natural tastes from the grape.
Anders
francis boulard wrote: []
Did you get the thunder storms yesterday? Looks scary for the Rhone valley... I saw you were in the alert area.
I've heard about the secondary label incentive. Anyway, visavis oak chips, for now (for once?) we can say: God Bless l'INAO! ;)
Discretion would require a reply of "secret agent," but actually I'm a violinist.
At least I don't need to ask your profession! :)
-E
Isn't bottle aging used as well for some wines, esp. sparkling?
Every wine - except for bag-in-the-box and cans - ages in glass, too. But I guess this was not quite the point.
M.
As Michael points out, virtually all bottled wines are bottle aged to varying extents -- but what you're alluding to is the bottle (secondary) fermenting of sparkling wines. AFAIK, it's only sought in sparkling wines and is considered a flaw in anything else (well, perhaps not in Beaujolais where I've been told that petillance is a traditional element).
Mark Lipton
Actually, it is not so much the secondary fermentation in the bottle that is important, but the resultant ageing on the yeast lees. The fermentation providing the bubbles is over within 6-8 weeks. The autolysis (auto-catalysed decomposition of yeast cells) starts at around 6 months, and can continue for years, as progressively more of the yeast cell is degraded by enzymes.
Chardonnay wines (esp white Burgundy) often receive similar ageing on lees in barrel, though this tends to be for a much shorter period.
... and Vouvray, some Rieslings. I seems that a little spritz is favored in a number of whites.
Tom Schellberg
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