How wine is pampered before you purchase it.

If you are of a certain age, you might recall the oversized actor Orson Welles gasping his way through TV commercials for Paul Masson Winery, alerting us with convincing, resonant tones that Masson, “Will sell no wine before its time.”  It was a clever marketing pitch, from a credible source, while deftly implying their competitors just might be doing the opposite
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Masson was simply ensuring their wines were palatable before they were shipped to grocery stores.  Most of us would be hard pressed (pun intended) to appreciate the mouthfeel and flavors of wine, especially reds, shortly after fermentation.  It is acidic, astringent, and unacceptably harsh. So, between that savage, untamed state and the final bottling, (anywhere from a few months to a year or more), a carefully monitored maturing and aging environment is needed to ensure the wine will evolve to a more palatable, flavorsome state. 

While some writers use the term aging to describe the above process, others prefer to limit aging to the time a bottled wine is stored in temperature controlled wine cellars (or the bedroom closet!).  Maturing, therefore, is limited to the mellowing and further development of wine after fermentation and prior to bottling.  It’s a nitpick for sure, but one worth noting for good “cocktail hour” trivia discussions.

There are two well known fermentation/aging vessels that are routinely used for maturing the wine, as well as two lesser known ones.  Temperature controlled stainless steel tanks and oak barrels are the most commonly utilized. The former is primarily for white wines, and the sealed environment is such that it produces a balanced combination of fruity freshness, lively acidity, and aromas and flavors that clearly reflect the characteristics of the underlying grape.

The situation with respect to oak barrels is quite different and far more intricate. While barrels are occasionally used for whites, their primary use is for the fermentation, maturation and extended aging of red wine. Because they are porous, they impart aromas and flavors of the toasted wood, as well as permitting a carefully monitored evaporation (think concentration), both of which, in sum, deliver appealing aromas and flavors plus improved structural aspects.

However, not “any old barrel” will do. Depending on the underlying grape and the intended wine style, a variety of barrel options ensue.  French, American or Slavonian?  Tightness of grain?  New or previously used (aka Neutral)?  Barrel size?  Toasting (charring) level?  And without torturing you with five or six more paragraphs, permit me this shorthand alternative: each of those variables delivers its own characteristics and nuances, much like diverse seasonings do for a complex, palate-pleasing dinner recipe.

The last two vessels for maturing wines are (egg-shaped) concrete and (clay-based) amphora.  Concrete use has been around since the mid 1800s, but the egg shape is new based on the efficiencies of the vessel being round, not square.  Fermenting white wine in concrete eggs are  selectively used in the Rhone Valley, Australia, South Africa, Chile and Napa Valley.  Eggs appear to offer the best of both stainless steel and oak barrels, with fruity freshness and primary aromas from the former, plus body, richness and texture (without the oaky spices) from the latter.

Although known by other names, (qveri in Georgia, tinaja in Spain), amphora is the better known name for the clay/earthenware aging vessels whose use dates back to the ancient Greeks and Romans.  Their maturing/aging qualities are similar to concrete eggs, but apparently deliver a livelier level of that overused descriptor known as minerality.  Time will tell, but the use of both eggs and amphora are not likely to be employed on a large-scaled basis.

So, let’s review how a carefully designed process of maturation and aging elevates the character of a wine. It enhances aroma, body and flavor. It provides a smoother texture and mouthfeel.  Plus it develops a well-balanced structure, all of which deliver the “finishing touches” that will, in the end, spell the difference between a run-of-the-mill pour, and a deliciously complex wine with a variety of interesting qualities.  And while there are many who will prefer the former, it also would be time well spent discovering what they’re missing with the latter.