Next big thing in wine—egg-shape fermenters?

Latest thing actually is the oldest thing

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Next big thing in wine—egg-shape fermenters?

In the wine world, something dramatically new and innovative—“concrete eggs”—actually is as old as winemaking.

Most wine today is fermented and finished in stainless steel or wooden containers. Stainless advantages include cleanliness, tight control of temperature, emphasis on fruit expression, and freshness. The downside: austerity, reduced softening of mouthfeel, and tannins.

Oak allows for oxygenation, which softens mouthfeel and tannins and adds flavors such as vanilla, clove, spices, smoke, and coconut. Those flavors also inspire criticism, the most emphatic being the “oak monster” moniker for big, bold, super-rich California red wines and chardonnays.

Concrete eggs fall in the middle. There is not as much oxygenation as oak, much more than steel. No added flavors. And not all egg-shaped fermenters are concrete: ceramic, terra cotta, and permeable plastic materials also work.

Concrete “egg-shaped” tanks at Ramon Bilbao Winery