Aging wine in big eggs

http://www.time.com/time/travel/article ... 81,00.html

Alex R.

[James Roscoe]

Have you seen any of these Alex? Have you tasted any of the wines made in the eggs?

Josko Gravner (Friuli; Ribolla)


Vittorio Picchieri (Puglia; Primitivo)


There's a lot of this "amphora" wine-making going on in Italy, as well.

Here are two interesting videos re: Gravner & amphora wine-making:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16dSa99sKk4&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-A1A4GNRNk&feature=player_embedded

James,

No, I have never seen wine aged this way.

Is it a gimmick, or did our forebears know more than we thought they did?

Alex

[James Roscoe]

Alex, obviously the answer to you question will be in how the wines taste as they come out and how they age. We will see. If it works we will see these all over the place.

Alex, obviously the answer to you question will be in how the wines taste as they come out and how they age. We will see. If it works we will see these all over the place.

James,
FWIW, wines have been stored in concrete containers almost as long as there has been concrete. Several Italian and French wines use concrete for elevage almost exclusively. The egg shape has more to do with modern engineering and convenience then it does with original wine-making technique.
Of more recent invention is elevage in poly-ethelene tanks. These have now been technologically improved to the point that they have no uptake of 'plastic' flavors and actually breath in much the same manner as a two year-old barrel. I have spoken to someone in Oregon using them for his whites and his press-juice pinot (he still puts free run pinot in barrel). I believe this has been his regimen for about three years. He reports very fresh and vibrant aromas and flavors in his whites. As for the pinot, I have tried the wines and they are quite feminine and elegant without discernable oak but with a very nice texture for wines with such light weight.
Lots of new stuff in wine technology, whether its in different shapes or different materials.
Best, Jim

PS Steve Edmunds is experimenting with concrete eggs and represents the manufacturer - he makes appearances here and is available at his website for Edmunds St. Johns wines.

Pretty fascinating to see. I recently went back and re-read part of The History of the World in 6 Glasses and it reminded me that wine was originally stored in pottery....so I'm sure the giant concrete eggs can work. It's interesting and I applaud the attempt

Some might find the following link interesting;
http://vinovessel.com/

Salute

I'm pretty sure Josko Gravner in Friuli was the first to start this wine-making in amphorae trend, after he witnessed it in Georgia, apparently the oldest wine-making area in the world. Using amphorae has become quite trendy since then. Those YouTube videos are great, I recommend everyone watch them - its not easy to follow the sub-titles but its worth it as Josko represents a very valid movement in winemaking today. Namely, in my opinion, he correctly claims that artisanal wine is superior to industrial wine, and he makes very important points. By the way, Josko Gravner is not Italian he is Slovenian - he was just born on the wrong side of the Italian/Slovenian border. After WW2 a border between Italy and Yugoslavia was hashed out haphazardly by the powers that be and a lot of Slovenians remained in Italy. I think its key to understand that its the Slovenian mentality that brought Josko to look eastwards to Georgia, the great wine-making mother, and discover this ancient way of making wine.

I'm pretty sure Josko Gravner in Friuli was the first to start this wine-making in amphorae trend, after he witnessed it in Georgia, apparently the oldest wine-making area in the world. Using amphorae has become quite trendy since then. Those YouTube videos are great, I recommend everyone watch them - its not easy to follow the sub-titles but its worth it as Josko represents a very valid movement in winemaking today. Namely, in my opinion, he correctly claims that artisanal wine is superior to industrial wine, and he makes very important points. By the way, Josko Gravner is not Italian he is Slovenian - he was just born on the wrong side of the Italian/Slovenian border. After WW2 a border between Italy and Yugoslavia was hashed out haphazardly by the powers that be and a lot of Slovenians remained in Italy. I think its key to understand that its the Slovenian mentality that brought Josko to look eastwards to Georgia, the great wine-making mother, and discover this ancient way of making wine.

I like the point he makes about profit being the #1 motive in industrial winemaking where it's secondary to the artisinal winemaker and making the best wine possible is #1. That could be the definition of industrial vs. artisanal winemaking.

I was also surprised at how long they macerate the wines- 7 months is well beyond what most consider an extended maceration.

Fantastic videos, thanks.

Regards,

John