Swiss Wood in Wine Maturation in Switzerland & Ticino
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.
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