Your Oaked Wine May Have Never Been in an Oak Barrel!

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Oak is used extensively in winemaking during fermentation and aging. It can add flavor compounds – including aromas of vanilla, clove, smoke and coconut.

Oak barrels also allow the slow ingress of oxygen – a process which makes wine taste smoother and less astringent.

Oak barrels also provide a great environment for certain reactions to occur, specifically Malolactic Conversion.

While oak wine barrels are made of French, American and Hungarian oak, they are all expensive. And they only impart flavor to wines during their first two to three uses, after which they are considered ‘neutral.’

So, to get the oak flavors without all the cost, some wines are made with oak chips, oak cubes, oak staves and even oak powder. Using these oak barrel alternatives allows wine makers to use less expensive containers (e.g., Stainless Steel tanks) and still get the desired oak flavors. After the wine has had the necessary time in contact with the chips, cubes, staves or powder, they are physically removed or filtered out and consumers never know the difference.

This may seem ‘wrong’ to many wine purists, but it is allowing winemakers to produce oak flavors in their wines at considerably lower costs. And, studies have been done that show consumers can’t tell the difference. Wine labels don’t tell us the difference, but if oak alternatives are used, and you enjoy the wine, then I’d say the winemaker succeeded! Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Gaia Malbec Nouveau

2022 Gaia Malbec Nouveau ($20)

Gaia, the Greek goddess of the earth, has been the Domaine Bousquet family's inspiration since founding their winery in 1997 when they pioneered and cleared virgin land in the high reaches of Tupungato's Gualtallary district.

There are several factors that differentiate Domaine Bousquet’s vineyards and their terroir:

• The near constant breezes from the Andes to the west which help mitigate heat-stress in this desert-like climate, with its huge day/night temperature differentials,

• The sandy soils result in low fertility for desirable vine stress and yet are permeable for good drainage. In addition,

• The prevalence of groundwater, with rainfall averaging a scant 8-inches or less per year, groundwater from Andes snowmelt is vital to irrigate the vines drop-by-drop.

This Gaia Malbec Nouveau from Domaine Bousquet is produced from 100% Malbec. It undergoes Carbonic maceration which is a fermentation process where the whole bunches of grapes are placed into a tank without de-stemming. The atmosphere within the fermentation tank is saturated with carbon dioxide while fermentation begins naturally. Once fermentation begins, the weight of the fermenting grapes crushes the surrounding grapes, releasing juices that are also fermented and macerated for 10 days. The wine then goes through a press to separate it from the grape skins and sediments. Finally, a second yeast fermentation takes place to complete the process.

This Gaia Malbec Nouveau is pale purple in color with aromas of red fruit, boysenberry and bubblegum. On the palate this unique medium bodied dry wine has bright red fruit flavors and medium-low tannin and has a wonderful floral finish.

This is a Limited Edition wine from Domaine Bousquet so you’ll be in for a real treat if you can get your hands on this one! And, at the price it’s a really good value too, making it a great fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week! Cheers!

14.5% Alcohol by Volume, Acidity 4.95 g/L, pH 3.63, Residual Sugar 0.93 g/L

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Domaine Bousquet (via Creative Palate Communications)

Ever Wonder How Rosé Wine is Made?

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There seems to be a lot of information and some misinformation out there about the production of rosé wine. I'm not sure why this topic is so complicated or confusing. Rosé is quite simple and such a simple pleasure. So, let's take a look at how rosé is made.

Rosé is made from red wine grapes.  But, it's made in the traditional white winemaking process. Hence the confusion.  So, first, realize that all juice from wine grapes, whether from red grapes or white grape, is nearly clear. And, all the color in a finished wine comes from the skin of the grapes, not from the juice.

So, with that in mind, rosé wines are made in one of the following ways:

• Maceration -- This process is the most common method used in the production of rosé wines. The word 'Maceration' literally means to soften by soaking. And in the case of wine production, it means to allow the grape skins to soak in the grape's juice. With red wine, the juice spends a lot of time (days to weeks) soaking with the grape's dark purple skin that gives red wine its deep color.  In the production of white wines, maceration is avoided. But for rosé, the red wine grape skins spend some limited time soaking with the juice, but not to the extent of red wine production. As a matter of fact, the juice gets very little time in contact with the grape skins. Usually a matter of 2 to 24 hours.  Once the winemaker achieves the desired color they are looking for, the juice is separated from the grape skins and allowed to ferment in a separate tank. For rosé, this is typically a stainless steel tank that is chilled in order to maintain the freshness of the juice.

• Saignèe ("San-yay") -- While somewhat similar to maceration, this method allows the grapes to be crushed under their own weight and the 'free run' juice is collected.  Since this juice spends little time in contact with the red grape skins, the resulting color is light pink.  Some argue that this is the highest quality rosé because it is the most pure.  Others consider this just a bi-product of red wine production since the remaining grapes and juice go on to become a more highly concentrated red wine.  Regardless, the rosé juice yielded from this process is separated, fermented in stainless steel tanks and kept at cool temperatures to preserve its freshness.

• Blending -- While this is a process that yields pink wine, it is highly frowned upon and outlawed in France and several other countries.  This method uses mostly white wine that is blended with just a touch of red wine, resulting in a pink wine.  This method is certainly not used in most rosés.

Regardless of the method used, rosés can be dry or sweet. As previously mentioned, one key to finding a dry rosé is the alcohol level. But, rosés can also vary by grape type:

• Dry Rosés -- Below are listed some of the most common dry rosé wine varieties, used alone or in a blend:

  • Grenache, Sangiovese, Syrah, Mouvedre, Carignan, Cinsault, Pinot Noir

• Sweet Rosés -- Like any wine, rosé wine can be made sweet by not fermenting all the natural sugar in the grape juice to alcohol. So, if you are looking for a sweet rosé, these are typical examples:

  • White Zinfandel, White Merlot, Pink Moscato

Always remember with rosé wines that they should be enjoyed young (within two years of its vintage) while they still have their bright fruit flavors and crisp acidity, and they should be served well chilled.

One way or the other, give rosé wines a try. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Domaine Bousquet Reserve Pinot Noir

2021 Domaine Bousquet Reserve Pinot Noir ($18)

A step up from their premium varietal line, this ‘Reserve’ Domaine Bousquet Pinot Noir is produced from estate-grown grapes from plots with low yields that offer more of everything – more body, more tannin, and more flavor. The 4,000-foot elevation ensures that, with the right handling, this Reserve Pinot Noir exudes an Old-World elegance prized by wine lovers.

Domaine Bousquet’s Reserve Pinot Noir is made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes that are manual harvested, undergo cold maceration and then fermented for 15 days. It is then aged for six to eight months in French oak.

This wine is pale ruby in color with subtle red-fruit aromas. It has the characteristic Pinot Noir flavors of raspberry and cranberry with a bit of black cherry and a round finish.

This wine was produced from organic grapes and is vegan friendly. And, at this price, is an exceptional value for a Pinot Noir of this quality. That makes it a great fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week! Cheers!

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Domaine Bousquet (via Creative Palate Communications)

Ever Wonder? Is Non-Alcoholic Wine Any Good?

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As mentioned last time, non-alcoholic wine is actually is ‘real’ wine that’s been made from fermented grapes. It then undergoes processes to remove all or part of the alcohol. But, the lingering question remains - Is non-alcoholic wine any good?

Non-alcoholic, or Alcohol-free, wines can taste like regular wine in many ways. They go through the same fermentation process as regular wine, so they can have flavors, aromas, tannin, tastes and mouthfeel just like regular wine.

But, to be called a non-alcoholic or alcohol-free wine, it must contain less than 0.5 percent alcohol by volume (ABV). So, whereas a 5-ounce glass of red wine is typically 12 percent to 15 percent alcohol by volume and about 125 calories, a 5-ounce glass of non-alcoholic red wine is 0.5 percent alcohol by volume and about 30 to 35 calories.

This is great if you are watching your calories or simply trying to avoid alcohol. But, there are some drawbacks. By removing the alcohol from wine, there are a few key traits that are also removed.

First, most of the aromas in wine come from the surface of the wine to your nose by evaporating alcohol. That’s why you’ll often see someone swirl their wine glass - it yields more aromas. But, when the alcohol is removed from wine, the aromas no longer have their primary delivery method. And, remember, while your tongue can only perceive sweet, salty and sour, your nose is how you distinguish all the thousands of various flavors. So, no alcohol means it's harder for the aromas to reach your nose.

Secondly, a quality wine is considered to be “balanced” when its elements are harmonious and no single element dominates. These elements include acidity and tannins as well as sweetness (residual sugar), fruit and alcohol. Without alcohol, wines can become too sweet, too acidic or too fruity. And, the lack of alcohol can change the ‘mouthfeel’ such that it will be different than a wine that contains alcohol.

So, non-alcoholic wine can taste like wine in a lot of ways. Some have a good balance of acidity, while others are fruit-forward. Non-alcoholic sparkling wines and white wines often get the closest to tasting and feeling like drinking wines that contain alcohol.

Finally, don’t forget the category of low-calorie or reduced alcohol wines. These wines still have alcohol, just in lower proportions. And they’ll have the best chance of tasting like a regular glass of wine. Cheers!