When you think of wine, you may have a strong image of wooden oak barrels, but recently there has been a trend of wineries using stainless steel tanks.
Stainless steel tanks have the following advantages:
- Highly airtight, prevents oxidation of wine
- Compared to wooden barrels, it is more durable and economical.
- Easy temperature control
Stainless steel tanks are hygienic and easy to control the temperature, allowing wineries to stably supply large quantities of wine. In addition, they can be used for a longer period of time than wooden barrels, which reduces the economic burden on wineries.
However, it is also thought to be difficult to reproduce the unique flavor of wine aged in wooden barrels in stainless steel tanks.
When wine is aged in a wooden barrel, the slight amount of oxygen that passes through the barrel allows the wine to mature slowly. In addition, the unique components of the barrel are transferred to the wine, adding depth and complexity to the wine.
Wineries understand the characteristics of both wooden barrels and stainless steel tanks and choose the one that is best suited to their winemaking needs. They also use both depending on the wine they are making.
New Zealand is a country with a large number of wineries that use stainless steel tanks. This is because dairy farming was originally popular in New Zealand, and stainless steel tanks were used to manage raw milk. Producers who switched from dairy farming to winemaking were accustomed to using stainless steel tanks for raw milk, so they were able to easily handle stainless steel tanks for wine as well.
Additionally, many New Zealand wines are organic, using as few chemicals as possible, and there is a tendency to choose stainless steel tanks, which allow for hygienic storage of the wine even when using ingredients rich in microorganisms.
