We are excited to introduce a new stave toast profile, Mineral Toast, designed to bring an enhanced sense of minerality to white and rosé wines. This innovative toast profile significantly impacts the sensory characteristics of wine, influencing its interaction with fruit and other elements during the winemaking process.

Minerality in wine is often attributed to specific terroirs, rooted in the soil and environment where grapes are grown. While traditionally linked to the vine’s interaction with soil minerals, minerality can also be shaped by winemaking techniques—including the use of oak.

Mineral Toast staves utilize carefully selected French Oak air-dried over an extended period. The wood undergoes hot water treatment to soften tannins and reduce harshness, followed by extended toasting at a lower temperature. The gentle process avoids the formation of high notes such as spice, smoke or char, resulting in a delicate profile featuring hints of vanilla, stone fruit, flint, wet stone, and pronounced minerality.

Key Features of Mineral Toast

1. Comparing Mineral Toast Staves to Water-Bent Barrels

Water bending in crafting barrels involves soaking oak staves in hot water to enable gentle shaping without cracking. The result is a smoother, less intense oak influence compared to traditional drying methods. This approach allows the natural flavors of the wine to take center stage, imparting structure while preserving the wine’s fruit and terroir expression.

• Minerality Impact: The gentler influence of water-bent oak provides a delicate backbone, allowing the wine’s inherent mineral qualities to shine.

2. Extended Low-Temperature Toasting

Toasting the oak over an extended period at low temperatures ensures a controlled release of compounds without the development of intense oak characteristics.

• Sensory Implications: This method avoids sharp, toasty, or smoky flavors often associated with high- temperature toasting. Instead, it provides structure, pallet weight and volume that enhance texture and minerality, supporting the wine’s freshness without overshadowing its natural characteristics.

3. No Char for Subtle Oak Influence

By omitting the charring process, Mineral Toast staves offer a more neutral oak influence.

• Sensory Implications: Without smoky or caramelized flavors, the oak imparts structural qualities like enhanced mouthfeel and tannin support while complementing the wine’s acidity and minerality. This approach allows for a cleaner, more focused expression of the grape’s terroir.

Application

The Mineral Toast profile is particularly suited to wine styles and grape varieties that benefit from restrained oak influence:

• White Wines: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, and Viognier will showcase enhanced minerality, pallet weight and freshness.
• Rosé and Light to Medium-Bodied Reds: Pinot Noir, Grenache, Tempranillo, Gamay, and red blends will experience softened oak influence, allowing minerality to shine without overshadowing the wine's delicate characteristics.

Conclusion

The Mineral Toast stave profile is a sophisticated tool for winemakers seeking to highlight the natural minerality of their wines. By utilizing extended low-temperature toasting without charring, this profile preserves fresh, mineral- driven notes while adding depth, texture, and complexity. It offers an elegant and balanced approach to winemaking, enhancing the wine’s expression of terroir and providing new opportunities to craft wines of distinction.

SAMPLES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST
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