Swiss Wood in Wine Maturation in Switzerland & Ticino
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MASTERCLASS: SWISS WOOD IN WINE MATURATION IN SWITZERLAND & TICINO With Gerhard Benninger of Tonnellerie Schuler, Alfred de Martin of Gialdi & Brivio and Gianfranco Chiesa of Vini Rovio TONNELLERIE SCHULER ▪ Located in Canton Schwyz ▪ One of 4 cooperages in Switzerland – the 3rd largest (2nd smallest) ▪ Started producing barrels in 2000 - French & American oak from Seguin-Moreau, Swiss oak in 2003, mélèze (from Valais), chestnut, and acacia in 2007, Ticino oak production in 2015 ▪ 550 barrels produced/yr – 50% Swiss oak, 30% French oak, 20% others (chestnut, acacia, American oak, mélèze) ▪ 70% is 228L, 30% is 225L and 300L + vats up to 5,000 litres ▪ Schuler is the only producer in CH of Ticino oak and Ticino chestnut barrels ▪ Schuler also produces wine and buys other producers’ wines which are then matured and bottled at own facility and under own label SHORT HISTORY OF WOOD AGEING IN EUROPE & SWITZERLAND ▪ Wine was stored and transported in wood in Europe since the time of the Celts (circa 700 B.C.). Vessels looked very much like our present barrel ▪ Only local wood was used (it was impossible to transport ”foreign” wood at that time) ▪ Softer woods were used (spruce, fir, pine) – greater ease in handling. But in19th century, people realised that hard woods (e.g. oak) were more durable & improved the wine more ▪ In Austria, Germany and Switzerland, producers used large wooden casks of up to 250,000 L (90,000 L in CH) rather than small barrels ▪ Wood was not chosen for flavour components but for practicality/locality Hiedelberg Tun of 219,000 L ▪ In 1980s, French barriques started to be imported into Switzerland – the majority of producers now use them (Germany), circa 1751 ▪ More producers are now rediscovering local woods and experimenting with barrels of different toast levels WHERE SWISS OAK COMES FROM 5 Regions (lgt-smallest): 1) Neuenberg/Biel (Neuchâtel) 2) Schaffhausen (Aargau) - 30 km are 3) Romanshorn - (Constance/St. Gallen – not far from Austria, 5-6 km area 4) Basel - 30 km area 5) Ticino* - forests around Losone/Locarno and Bellinzona *Swiss chestnut also comes from Ticino SWISS OAK CHARACTERISTICS ▪ Neuenberg/Biel (Neuchâtel) ▪ Highest quality of all Swiss oak – finest grain ▪ Similar to Allier ▪ Smells harmonious ▪ Romanshorn (Constance/St. Gallen) ▪ Similar to Hungarian oak ▪ Produces wines that are sweeter and more neutral ▪ Finely grained ▪ Schaffhausen (Aargau) & Basel ▪ Creates wines that are more tannic, broader and less fruity ▪ Wine needs more time in the barrel ▪ Stronger smell ▪ Similar to Vosges oak ▪ Ticino ▪ Smallest production area in Switzerland ▪ A mixture of different characteristics – larger and fine-grained ▪ Each tree is quite different from another TICINO - AS A WOOD REGION ▪ More erratic weather than other areas – warmer in the summer; one of the wettest areas in Switzerland (approx. 180 cm/yr). Rain clouds from south are blocked by the southern Alps. ▪ Trees grown here have more branches than others in CH – the more branches, the more knots. Knots = leakage. Cannot use staves that have knots. ▪ Highest growing altitude for trees – 500-550 m above sea level, compared with 200-250 m in rest of Switzerland (some trees are transported via helicopter, CHF 250/minute, but still less expensive compared to trucks/tractors). ▪ Both oak and chestnut used in barrel making come from the same forests. ▪ Oak and chestnut look very similar from the outside so sometimes one does not know the species until it has been cut (no leaves in winter to distinguish). Quercus Robur Castanea Sativa TICINO OAK ▪ Ticino oak has less consistent quality than other areas of Switzerland; good trees are dotted around rather than in one area ▪ More branches because the trees are less pruned – more wild and not cultivated as other areas ▪ Out of 100 trees examined, only 5 will be selected ▪ Grain fineness varies ▪ Note: there are not enough trees available to only use fine-grained wood – only 20-30 barrels are produced annually ▪ Split, not sawn ▪ 5m3 = 1m3 of staves = 8-9 barrels ▪ Heavier than chestnut ▪ CHF 830/barrel & chestnut vs CHF 930 for French oak TICINO CHESTNUT • Accounts for only 1% of the trees in Switzerland. 21% of chestnut trees in CH grow south of the Alps • Durable • Quality is very erratic – out of 500 m3, only 5 m3 will be bought. Rest becomes firewood (1m3 = 1 tree at 40 cm wide and 8 meters long) • Why? • Too many branches (even more than oak) • The wood breaks down via its growth rings internally (”ring shake”) due to winter frost. So the tree cannot grow properly (see photo) • Sawn not split – when split, the wood splits in all directions • Split chestnut – 5m3 = 0.1 m3 of staves VS • Sawn chestnut – 5m3 = 2m3 of staves (though not all useable) • Purchase price - CHF 500/m3 of barrel wood vs CHF 100/m3 for firewood • High tannin content – tannin used to be used by local tanneries • Larger-grained – wine can be prone to oxidation • Often gives sweeter, vanilla and roasted chestnut flavours – works well with higher quality Merlot “RINGSCHÄLIG” OR “RING SHAKE” IN CHESTNUT ▪ Layers separate or crack, sometimes there is discoloration. Often caused by trauma which occurred in the tree (e.g. frost) ▪ Can also occur after felling, though some believe it was already present before being cut ▪ Affects various species of trees grown in temperate and tropical climates, but chestnut is arguably the most vulnerable ▪ Tends to occur in older trees ▪ Mostly occurs in stem wood but can also be found in big branches of aged trees (rare) SO WHY USE TICINO WOOD? • Economic benefit for forestry companies • Forestry companies have struggled in Ticino – firewood does not bring much money CHF 100 per tree. • Wood for barrels is 5x more profitable than firewood – some trees are too high quality to just be firewood • More sustainable – more ecological as less transportation than from foreign countries • Has marketing benefits – it is appealing for many consumers when everything comes from the same local area • But good quality wood is difficult to find SELECTING THE TREES ▪ Oak “harvest” occurs from December - March ▪ Trees are cut following the biodynamic/moon calendar when sap goes into the roots ▪ The less sap the better – smaller pores in the wood ▪ 2nd selection (before cutting) – February – April ▪ Schuler pays 2x more than what is normally paid (do not want leakage issues) ▪ Trees are delivered whole to saw mill before arriving at Schuler BARREL MAKING Ticino Oak ▪ Wood is split and sawn into staves ▪ Dried outside for 36 months ▪ Toasting – minimum 2 hours open fire ▪ Light – 160ºC internal temperature ▪ Medium - 180ºC internal temperature ▪ Dark - 200ºC internal temperature Chestnut ▪ Wood is sawn directly into staves ▪ Dried outside for 36 months ▪ Toasting is slightly lower temperatures than oak – higher temperatures add too many burnt flavours (e.g. rubber tires) - 180ºC is highest ▪ Wood is not as dense as oak and has larger pores so dries out easier. ▪ Outside is lacquered to help prevent leaking and oxidation issues (but problems can still happen) GIALDI-BRIVIO FRED DE MARTIN, HEAD WINEMAKER ▪ Gialdi - established in 1953. Brivio – established in late 1980s. Taken over by Gialdi in 2001. ▪ Largest wine company in Ticino ▪ Produces 1,000,000 of bottles/yr; circa 30 different wines in multiple styles ▪ Vineyards are not owned – have contracts with many growers ▪ Gialdi vineyards – mostly located in Sopraceneri (northern Ticino). Soils are mostly granite and gneiss. Cooler temperatures. ▪ Brivio vineyards – mostly around Sottoceneri (southern Ticino). Gialdi vineyards in Giornico Soils are clay-dominant. ▪ Works with 1800 barrels every vintage, more than any Swiss producer – French oak (95%); rest is Ticino oak, Ticino oak/chestnut blends; American oak, Hungarian oak – varying toast levels & coopers. Small lots for experimentation. Began using Ticino oak in 2011. FLIGHT 1 – SOTTOCENERI(MENDRISIOTTO) GIALDI-BRIVIO No. Wine Wood (100% Toast Size MLF Time in Alcohol Quality level new) barrel 1 Merlot Ticino oak Light-Long 228L In 9 months 13.2% Component of 2016 (2+ hours) stainless Riflessi d’Epoca steel (Brivio) 2 Merlot Ticino oak Medium- 228L In 9 months 13.2% Component of 2016 Long (2+ stainless Riflessi d’Epoca hours) steel (Brivio) 3 Merlot Ticino oak Medium- 228L In 9 months 13.2% Component of 2016 staves/ Long (2+ stainless Riflessi d’Epoca Chestnut ends hours) steel (Brivio) 4 Merlot French oak Medium- 228L In 9 months 13.2% Component of 2016 (Rousseau – Long stainless Riflessi d’Epoca blend of oak from steel (Brivio) center and east of France) FLIGHT 2 – SOPRACENERI (TREVALLI) GIALDI-BRIVIO No. Wine Wood (100% Toast Size MLF Time in Alcohol Quality level new) barrel 1 Merlot 2016 Ticino oak Light-Long 228L In 9 months 13.2% Component of (2+ hours) stainless Sassi Grossi steel (Gialdi) 2 Merlot 2016 Ticino oak Medium- 228L In 9 months 13.2% Component of Long (2+ stainless Sassi Grossi hours) steel (Gialdi) 3 Merlot 2016 Ticino oak Medium- 228L In 9 months 13.2% Component of staves/ Long (2+ stainless Sassi Grossi Chestnut hours) steel (Gialdi) ends 4 Merlot 2016 French oak Medium 228L In 9 months 13.2% Component of (Rousseau – long (MF) stainless Sassi Grossi blend of oak steel (Gialdi) from center and east of France) ROVIO VINI – GIANFRANCO CHIESA, WINEMAKER/FOUNDING PARTNER ▪ Established in 1986 ▪ 40,000 of bottles produced per year ▪ Produces Chardonnay, Chasselas, Johanniter, Gamaret, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon ▪ Vineyards are family-owned and located in Rovio, Pugerna