I love concrete, concrete wine vessels that is!
Weird? Maybe, but once you understand why, maybe you won’t think I’m so odd after all! I know, I know, when you think of winemaking you think of gorgeous barrels aging in dark, cool, humid cellars. Or, surgically precise stainless steel tanks which control fermentation temperatures within decimals of the winemaker’s specified temperatures. But concrete, I’m pretty sure most of you have yet to swoon over this material and it’s winemaking prowess.
Over-exaggeration, you ask? Not a chance! My fascination with concrete vessels for wine making started when I listened to one of my go-to Podcasts, Wine For Normal People (trust me I do NOT consider myself normal, but am still a fan!). In the episode exploring ”Alternatives to Oak”, my geeky, nerdy fascination with all-things-wine reached an entirely new level. All the benefits of oak without any flavor or aroma changes to the wine? Holy cow is it really possible?
Texas does concrete…
On my recent adventures in the Texas Hill Country, my infatuation was satiated at Lost Draw Cellars and William Chris Vineyards as they both leverage the magic of concrete vessels in their winemaking process. I. Was. In. Hog. Heaven! What specifically does concrete, or concrete vessels in particular, do to wine? A whole lotta magic!
While at Lost Draw, our host, Kelsey Kramer, who leads education for Lost Draw and William Chris, gave us hands-on (seriously I had to touch every single one!) exposure to the various concrete vessel used at both locations. Many are so important to the wineries they’re even named. ”Egguardo” and ”Gallileo” are some of my new best friends! But what they do to wine is magic. Pure magic.
A few key reasons why Lost Draw and William Chris leverage concrete are exposed both in these videos as well as these bullet points:
- Fermenting wine creates heat – the shape of concrete eggs are perfect for a continuous movement of the liquid currents rising then crashing back down in continuous flow.
- This movement replaces punch downs, pump overs and other processes which allow the fermenting wine maximum exposure to skin contact (tannin and flavor)
- Oxygenation via tiny bubbles hide in the crevices of the vessel (similar to the sea turtles in Finding Nemo catching the currents and go for a ride!) without flavor or aroma changes to the wine
Bottom line, what are the results? Some of you may not have joined the Texas wine bandwagon I’m currently on. I’ll ask you to reconsider. When you consider how revolutionary it is for Lost Draw and William Chris to trust their winemaking processes to some which date back centuries, how can you not get excited! As the epitome of wine nerds, I congratulate any wine maker willing to leverage processes so steeped in wine’s legacy to make world-class contemporary wines. To find this in the heart of Texas makes my excitement even closer to home!
Here are just a few of the ”family members” at Lost Draw and William Chris. Each has it’s own shape, size, color and influence. What they all do, however, is create fruit forward, juicy yet complex wines worthy of taking center stage. And I’m super excited to have found them in my own backyard right here in the heart of Texas!
Fun fact: did you know the Texas Hill Country is among the top 3 visited wine regions in the good ole U.S. of A.? Maybe you need to start planning your trip today!
Cheer!
