Wine International Association’s Post

Explore the art of crafting wine barrels from start to finish. Discover the process behind building these essential vessels for aging wine. #WineBarrel #WineBarrelConstruction #HowWineBarrelsAreMade #OakBarrels

The skill of making good wine is also down to choosing the right tools to shape and age it and that includes everything down to the type of wood we use.

Which #wine is in and which is out, what's hot and what's not? Despite all the hype around regions like Burgundy and California's Napa, all people really seem to want is #Bordeaux. The more desirable the wine, the deeper, it would seem, are people's pockets🍷 #wealthmanagement #alternativeinvestments #realassets #wineinvestments

Not sure if I’ve let you in on this little gem, but my other half and I own a winery in the beautiful Prince Edward County. Let’s talk about the magic of barreling white wines, shall we? It's like giving wine a spa treatment—except in oak barrels, and what comes out is even better than what went in. Barreling white wine isn’t just a process; it’s an art. When you let white wine snuggle up in oak, it does something truly fabulous. The oak not only whispers sweet nothings to the wine but imparts complex flavors that turn a simple sip into a symphony. We're talking hints of vanilla, a touch of spice, and if the wine's been really soaking it all in, a whisper of toasted almond. And let’s talk body. Barreling gives white wine a richer, more voluptuous texture. You know that silky, creamy feel that makes your palate swoon? That’s the barrel working its magic. The wine goes in young and spirited and comes out wise, rounded, and oh-so-smooth. Visually? It’s like watching the glow-up of the century. Barreled whites can take on a gorgeous golden hue that promises opulence before you even take your first sip. So next time you pour yourself a glass of barreled white, remember, you’re not just drinking wine, you're experiencing a masterpiece sculpted by time and oak. Cheers to that, right? 📍@traynorvineyard #BarreledWhites #WineTransformation #OakAgedWine #WineLovers #TasteTheOak #WhiteWineWonder #VineyardLife #WineConnoisseur #LuxurySips #WineAging

WEEKLY TASTING REPORT: Magnificence From the Mosel, Plus Handling the Heat in Paso Robles (Part III) Stefan Steinmetz of the Weingut Günther Steinmetz in Brauneberg is another quality fanatic in the Mosel, and although several of his top wines of the 2023 vintage were still fermenting when Stuart tasted there, they were still astonishingly deep and expressive. None is more extraordinary than the Günther Steinmetz Riesling Mosel Piesporter Treppchen Von Den Terrassen 2023. It has a gigantic stature for the wines of this region, and is the essence of slate and a miracle of finesse for its scale. This is another extremely limited-production wine, but scroll down to the tasting notes and you’ll find other great wines from this producer that will be easier to find. Selbach Oster in Zeltingen is one of the most widely distributed of the leading Mosel producers, and it has been for a long time. You might think that there would therefore be no surprises here. However, Stuart has been stunned over the past few years by the dry rieslings made by father and son team Johannes and Sebastian Selbach (photo). For Stuart, the 2023 single-vineyard GG wines are the best so far, but it was another wine that is neither properly dry nor really sweet that blew his mind. The breathtaking mineral freshness lifts the imposing stature of the Selbach-Oster Riesling Mosel Schmitt 2023 and takes you to a place of floating peace. Call it riesling nirvana if you like. It comes from a single parcel of vines in the Schlossberg site of Zeltingen. Like many of their colleagues, the Selbachs are still a bit stunned by the wines they made in 2023. As Johannes said: “The harvest was extremely taxing because of all the rot we had remove, and it was only some months later that we tasted the cellar and suddenly realized what a great vintage we had!” Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gTmefmKQ #moselriesling #riesling #germanwine #winelovers #winetasting #wineeducation #sommelier #wineculture #vineyard #winepairing #winemaking #winecommunity #sustainablewinemaking

Here’s a quick tip on using a decanter: 🍷 This is a decanter. You pour the wine into the decanter to help it breathe and open up, particularly red wines. Decanting enhances the flavor and aroma, making your wine experience even more enjoyable. Cheers to better wine! 🥂 #PoisedProper #WineEtiquette #Decanting #WineLovers #RedWine #WineTips #Cheers #DiningEtiquette

When we drink a glass of #finewine, we’re certainly focused more on our palate or company than on the making of the wine. And when we think about #winemaking we envision all sorts of steps such as the grapes, the winemakers pruning their vines, the different seasons, the crushing, the fermentation, the bottling etc… But what we usually forget about is the very important barrel component. Note that only certain reds are grown in wooden barrels up to 3 years, a process invented to counter the tannins (so it’s usually for red wines made from strong tannic grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Malbec for instance). Wooden barrels are also used for certain white wines, but usually for a shorter time. The tannins balance isn’t the only reason why winemakers are using wooden barrels. Most of them are made with oak, and the French oak is supposed to have the best properties for the job and used by the best wineries all over the world. The reasons are linked to the type of oak which was planted in France, notably in the 18th century. I always wondered if that legacy was linked to French wine culture or a simple coincidence. Probably a bit of both. And when we watch in that video the level of #craftsmanship poured into the making of top barrels, no wonder they come with a high price tag which eventually translates into our bottle price. While some of the best wines in the world use French oak, some don’t use wooden barrels at all, so top red wine isn’t automatically associated with oak barrels.

The process of making wine barrels when we're not so focused on the company and focused on the process of making the wines... 😮 #winemaking #australia #australianwines #cleanskins #barossavalleywines

Co-fermentation: a winemaking technique for fresher characteristics. 🍷🍇 It is a winemaking technique where two or more grape varieties are mixed and fermented together. This process is different, since the usual practice is that each grape variety is fermented separately and the wines blended after it. Co-fermentation can offer several benefits to winemakers, like improved complexity, more color extraction, and a natural balance that is difficult to achieve. When talking about natural balance, we can showcase a very well-known duo: Syrah and Viognier, that are often fermented together in wines from the Rhône Valley. This practice can enhance the aromatic profile and texture of the wine. Some winemakers also use co-fermentation with different white grape varieties to create unique blends with increased complexity and freshness. Overall, co-fermentation is a technique that allows winemakers to experiment and create, something we really appreciate. 📸 In the picture: #2 Somm recommends: Torbreck, the descendant. 🍷 One of the firsts co-fermented wines in Barossa Valley, Australia. 🇦🇺 This wine is a mix of power and smoothness, made from old vines of Shiraz and a small percentage of Viognier. #sommelier #winelover #wine #sommelierlife #fermentation #redwine #shiraz #viognier

Co-fermentation, a winemaking technique for results different than usual blending. 🍷 Is a technique where two or more grape varieties are mixed and fermented together. This process is different, since the usual practice is that each grape variety is fermented separately and the wines blended after it. Co-fermentation can offer several benefits to winemakers, like improved complexity, more color extraction, and a natural balance that is difficult to achieve. ✅ When talking about natural balance, we can showcase a very well-known duo. Syrah and Viognier, that are often fermented together in wines from the Rhône Valley. This practice can enhance the aromatic profile and texture of the wine. Some winemakers also use co-fermentation with different white grape varieties to create unique blends with increased complexity. Overall, co-fermentation is a technique that allows winemakers to experiment and create, something we really appreciate. 📸 In the picture: #2 Somm recommends: Torbreck, the descendant. One of the firsts co-fermented wines in Barossa Valley, Australia. 🇦🇺 This wine is a mix of power and smoothness, made from old vines of Shiraz and a small percentage of Viognier. #sommelier #winelover #wine #sommelierlife #fermentation #redwine #shiraz #viognier