Learn about the best alternative methods for ageing wines

There is nothing like enjoying a good glass of wine, whether to accompany a meal, enjoy an evening with friends or just have a good time. But do you know why wine tastes so delicious?

The wine ageing process is long and complex, as it is usually carried out in two phases: the first, the oxidative or ageing phase, which takes place in barrels, and the second, known as the reductive phase, which takes place in bottles. This process is nothing more than the time spent fermenting the grapes, from the time they are processed until we enjoy them in our glass in the form of wine. According to the time they have been aged, they are classified as: Young, Crianza, Reserva or Gran Reserva

Do you know what barrels are?

Barrels are wooden casks made of American, French or Spanish oak, acacia, pico or cherry. These barrels, also known as Fedres, are very important in the winemaking process

When the liquor comes into contact with the wood of these barrels, it absorbs tannins, aromas and flavours that gradually come together to develop the characteristic touch of this delicious drink

The ageing time in the barrels varies between 6 months for white and rosé wines, and up to 18 months for red wines.

How does the bottle influence the winemaking process?

After maturation, the wine is put into bottles to be stored and then distributed for marketing. The bottles are usually made of glass and generally contain a volume of 750 ml. To close them, the characteristic cork stopper is used

After the bottling process, the wine rests in underground warehouses with suitable conditions for maturing, guaranteeing temperature stability and the absence of draughts

The bottles are placed horizontally, arranged in such a way that the liquid is in contact with the cork to prevent the cork from drying out due to the air inside the container. The process in these tanks can last from 18 to 32 months.

Classification of wines according to ageing time

As mentioned above, wines can be classified as follows:

  • Young wines, which are those that have not been aged in barrels, or if they have been aged for less than two years.
  • Crianza. These are red wines that have been aged for approximately 24 months, and where at least 6 of these months have been spent in wooden barrels. For white or rosé wines, the ageing time is shorter, as it is usually one year of storage, and half of this time was spent in wood
  • Reserve. These are wines that have been matured for at least 3 years, two of which were spent in the bottle. In addition, they have been in barrels for at least 18 months. They are marketed from the third year onwards
  • Gran Reserva wines need a minimum storage time of 5 years in the cellar and at least 17 months in oak barrels

New ageing alternatives

Currently in the wine sector, adaptations to the new times are being applied. Whether it is to save time, effort, materials or simply for innovation, a number of winemakers are beginning to change their methods and start to innovate.

Some of these changes seem a bit strange, but they are said to have good results.

Meteorite

In England, a professional winemaker created a Cabernet Sauvignon wine called “Meteorite”. The wine was stored in a barrel next to a 4.5 million year old piece of meteorite from Mars. The wine is said to have a “more lively and intense” flavour

Concrete or concrete barrels

Other producers opt for ageing in oval-shaped concrete or concrete barrels. According to them, this material better extracts the aromatic substances from the fruit to produce smoother and more elegant wines.

Ageing in amphorae

This is not a new technique, as ancient winegrowers used amphorae for the transfer and storage of various products, including wine. With the use of these vases, the aim is to obtain a wine with a more neutral aromatic effect than that obtained with oak.

Trawling at sea

A Norwegian brand, after packaging the liquor in barrels,throws them into the sea to be dragged by ships, from Norway to Australia and then back, in order to generate a constant movement of the liquid and that, in addition, the passage through the equator, the humidity and the temperature of the ocean to which they are exposed, more flavour is achieved in less time

Adding pieces of wood to the wine

The aim of this method is to obtain the smell and taste of wines aged in barrels in a shorter period of time

Oak bottles

A Canadian entrepreneur chooses to bottle wine directly into oak bottles in order to accelerate the effects of traditional ageing. The process takes a couple of days, depending on the desired intensity. It can also be applied to other distilled spirits such as tequila, whisky, cognac, vodka and gin.

Heat maturation

Two main methods are used, one called Canteiro, which consists of leaving the wine on racks at high temperatures, and the second method, the cooker, where the wine is placed in stainless metal containers. In these two ageing techniques, the wine is exposed to high temperatures.

Treasure under the sea

This is not a technique as such, but good results were obtained by doing it. Some time ago, when several bottles of champagne were found in a shipwreck under the Baltic Sea, it was determined that many of their characteristics had been preserved thanks to the ageing conditions of the cold, dark sea bed

Underwater ageing

Many underwater cellarsalready exist to produce good wines, although they are different from those aged on land

Outdoors

Sometimes wines are left to mature outdoors. This technique is known as “Sun and Sand”.

In short, the process of making and maturing wine makes this product highly appreciated worldwide and its uses go beyond consumption as a beverage, as it is also included in the preparation of food and desserts, for religious and medicinal purposes and even as a complement in the preparation of other beverages.

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