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Barrel Systems
Download The Oak Infusion Spiral Tech Sheet
The Infusion Spiral® barrel system, or "Barrel Pack" is the most popular Infusion Spiral product for winemaking in every size segment of the industry and every major wine region in North America. It has been used with virtually every major grape variety and at every stage of production -- from oak fermentation to weeks prior to bottling. From artisan garagistes with only a handful of neutral barrels in the cellar to the mega-wine producers with stacks and rows of thousands of barrels and hundreds of tanks, the Oak Infusion Spiral Barrel Pack has been a workhorse for winemakers since 2005.
When the winemaker needs premium new oak aromas and flavors without the expense, space, hassles and time frame associated with buying, storing, preparing and handling brand new oak barrels, the Oak Infusion Spiral Barrel Pack is the go-to oak alternative. In production volumes, it gives winemakers precise control of oak in large or small lots that need individual attention. In the oak trial phase, it gives uncommon reliability of results when applied to standard 59 to 60-gallon barrels rather than 750ml bottles used in typical bench trials. Contact us if you are interested in setting up a trial.
Simplicity In Design To Make Your Job Easier
After approval as either a small or significant component of your oak program, the Barrel Pack is ready to apply immediately after removal from its protective plastic packaging. One closed end of its nylon mesh sleeve is tied into a loop to make it easy to attach to a bung using the enclosed nylon zip-tie and a stainless eyelet (optional purchase) fastened into the bung's bottom surface. Oak Spiral Barrel Pack dosage can easily be reduced by cutting the nylon mesh in between any two spirals and re-closing the end of the mesh sleeve.
One Barrel Pack consists of six toasted Oak Spirals, each one nine inches long, all contained and connected by the food grade nylon mesh sleeve to permit quick and trouble-free insertion and removal through a standard bung hole in a 59-70 gallon barrel. After a period of about six weeks, one Barrel Pack gives the wine the same impact a new oak barrel would impart after about eight months in contact with wine. Leaving the Oak Spirals in longer contact with the wine enables smoother integration with and rounding out of the wine.
A Patented Design Offers Multiple Advantages
Once inserted into the barrel, wine will freely pass through the nylon mesh, penetrating the large surface area of the spirals, starting the spiral's immersion into the wine and triggering the release of the toasted oak’s complex aromatic and flavor compounds. The patented spiral-cut design creates the combination of cross-grain and parallel-grain exposure that gives the Infusion Spiral its advantages over other oak alternatives: rapid extraction of complex oak compounds and refined integration of oak in the wine.
Another winemaking benefit of the Barrel Pack system is the ability for us to give the winemaker combinations of different toasted oak spirals in the same Barrel Pack. Our French Oak Blend Barrel Packs each have varietal-specific combinations of toasts that work together in lifting fruit, adding mid-palate sweetness and lengthening finish. These are available in addition to our standard single-toast Barrel Packs of Light, Medium, Medium Plus or Heavy toast.
New for 2013: New Eastern European Oak Barrel Packs
