winemaking
WINEMAKER TRIAL
Trialing Modern Cooperage Barrels to Ensure Brand Style Consistency Consulting winemaker explores the consistency of Modern Cooperage Stainless Steel Barrels during Aging Bryan Avila Bryan Avila is a formally trained enologist, seasoned commercial winemaker, ACUE Credentialed Educator and Co-Founder of the Vintners Institute. The Vintners Institute is a grassroots, next-gen effort to bring wine industry producers and allies together, online and in-person, to Innovate with nature, Educate the workforce, and Inspire good leaders. A freelance writer for WBM’s Winemaker Trials, Bryan would love to hear what you are doing in your vineyard and winery to overcome challenges, grow better grapes and make better wine. Contact: bryan@vintnersinstitute.com
Kale Anderson, Consulting Winemaker, Kale Wines, grew up in Sonoma County, where he was exposed to the wine industry by a community that encouraged creativity, love for the outdoors, and stewardship of the land. Having graduated from UC Davis’ Plant Science program with a BS degree in Viticulture and Enology, he worked at Colgin Cellars, Terra Valentine Winery, Cliff Lede Vineyards and Pahlmeyer Winery. While Director of Winemaking at Pahlmeyer, Kale became one of the youngest winemakers to earn 100 points from Robert M. Parker, Jr. for the 2013 Pahlmeyer Cabernet Sauvignon Pièce De Résistance, the first perfect score awarded to Pahlmeyer in their thirty-year history. After fifteen vintages, Kale began consulting in 2016.
BACKGROUND: Grapes, barrels and microbiology are the three major players when it comes to shaping a wine style for a brand. Winemakers take great care in sourcing grapes that fit their wine program’s needs and manage fermentation so that the wrong microbes don’t obscure the terroir of the grapes while adding bouquet and dimension to the palate. While the vintner or the somm may tell a consumer that “these wines are made in the vineyard”, the winemaker knows that all wines are made in containers better known as “cooperage” in the wine industry. While the term cooperage has the connotation of solely oak barrel usage, this term has expanded to include tanks and barrels composed of wood, concrete, stainless steel and wine-grade plastics. Each of these materials influence the wine differently and provide the winemaker a wide range of stylistic options based on their unique abilities.
24 August 2022 WBM
PHOTO 1.
The Modern Cooperage Barrel fits on standard rack mixed in with wood cooperage