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In the drink With Paul Antrobus
BY PAUL ANTROBUS
Back to the future for natural wines We are discovering concrete results for ‘trendy’ purer wines in a new 'movement'. Solid start
W
ine makers across the world are all talking up a growing consumer interest in Natural Wines, enough to be dubbed ‘a movement’. It is hard to define and even harder to deduce from the labels, but is similar to the Real Ale movement in the UK beer market. The key foundation is using concrete vessels to mature the wines instead of oak wood barrels. The ‘concrete’ wines retain the pure and natural taste of the grape juice whereas oak barrels impart their own flavour and characteristics to the contents. Using concrete vessels for maturing
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wine is nothing new (recorded 6,000 years ago), but increasing their use and making the result a marketing tool is. The crucial change adopted by all producers is that the modern vessels are egg shaped. They are carefully designed so that the egg does the maturing all on its own. A human hand is not required, as the shape with no corners creates a vortex and convection currents, which gently push the wine around so all the wine is subjected to the exact same conditions. They are quite elegant and, rather than hide them, they are often set up in full view at the entry to the visitor facility.
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Contributors David Henshall Simon Everett Paul Antrobus
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Although the move to concrete is worldwide, Portugal and Argentina are ahead of the game. “When compared with oak, concrete allows for more consistent aging, stable temperature and some micro-oxidation,” says David Baverstock, chief winemaker at Portuguese winery Esporão, which has made innovation part of its business plan. USA producers agree. “Concrete is a semi-porous substance and allows for micro-oxygenation whereby the aging is similar to a barrel but without imparting oak aromas or flavours,” says Stephanie Jacobs of Cakebread Cellars in Napa Valley. Argentinian winemaker Sebastián Zuccardi adds: “What we do is really going back to the traditions of Argentinean winemaking. We went back to find the future.”
Where to buy?
But if this is tipped to be the next big thing in winemaking, why is it almost impossible to find the ‘concrete’ wines from the label info? How do you promote a ‘trend’ if you cannot spot it in store? I have seen very few labels saying ‘Natural Wine’. Orange wines flag themselves up as very distinctive wines made in a particular way, which includes
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maturation in concrete or ceramic vessels (AAS September 2019) and can be archaeologically traced back to 6,000BC. There are no additives, not even yeasts, and the fermentation is spontaneous and natural. Sounds pretty much within the Natural Wine banner. So, in the absence of better label information the best we can do is try wines which come from the proponents of concrete, like Portuguese Esporão, Argentinian Zuccardi Valle or Carmes Haute-Bion, Bordeaux. It has been difficult under Covid conditions to spend time browsing the supermarket shelves, so searching the internet is the best way. Search for ‘natural wines’ or ‘wine matured in concrete vats’. Try Zuccardi Q Malbec, 14.5 per cent, £11.99, or Esporão LB7 Lisboa Red, 13.5 per cent, £8.99, both from Majestic. Or Minervois Dom le Cazal, £11.95 from Yapp brothers.
Johnnie Walker says: “We are constantly looking at new ways to make our packaging more sustainable. This paper bottle is a new type of packaging for spirits and a very exciting milestone for us, and we will be looking closely at what other brands [in the Diageo stable] we can trial it with.” I wonder when the innovative people at Johnnie Walker will try concrete for maturing a whisky to produce a natural white whisky? It comes off the still as a clear liquid like gin or vodka. What could be more natural than concrete scotch? For now, though, for wine the future is once again concrete.
Eco Walker
Johnnie Walker Scotch Whisky have sotto voce revealed that they will be launching a commercial trial of a paper bottle. In a limited release planned for spring, one variant and size of Johnnie Walker will be trialled in one, yet to be revealed, market.
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