True County spirit

The stainless steel tank had a huge influence on white wines. People tired of the excessive use of oak—and its vanilla and butter/cream palate—delight in the flavour profiles uncovered by this relatively new technology.

Inspired by its success in the dairy industry, Emile Peynaud first promoted the use of stainless steel tanks as fermentation chambers for wine in the early 1960s. Cooling bands surrounding the tanks allow the temperature inside to be stabilized throughout fermentation for both red and white wines. Left unchecked, the heat produced by the fermentation process can damage and prevent wine from reaching its full potential. Production of wine in a stainless steel tank has proven cost effective, while at the same time allowing the winemaker to express the true natural nuances of the grape.

This had a huge influence on the styles of white wines, and on Chardonnay in particular. The Chablis region of France could now offer wines displaying the more typical attributes of the Chardonnay grape: Granny Smith apples, lemon grass, citrus and—depending on where its grown—tropical fruit or pineapple.

Chardonnays made exclusively in stainless steel tanks are easily identifiable by a label that will display any of the following: “sans chêne” in France, “acero” in Spain, either “inox” or simply “unoaked” in North America, South Africa, New Zealand or Australia.

Next week Malolactic Fermentation 101 in layman’s terms: Through the Looking Glass?

THIS WEEK’S PICK
The recent release of the Wild Oak Whisky from the folks at Sixty-Six Gilead Distillery is a rare find. Distilled in the traditional bourbon style by Matt McCann, aged in barrels crafted from Missouri oak by Pete Bradford, this big boy beverage presents itself at 47 per cent alcohol. Most bourbons are presented at 40 per cent. With whisky of this proof, I tend to add a splash of room temperature water to dilute the potency, and allow the flavours manifest on the palate.

Whiskey was produced in Kentucky decades before being called bourbon. (You decide whether it was named after the French royal house or an Ohio River port that stamped its name on all barrels passing through their hands.) The basic recipe, however, has not changed over the years: bourbon must be distilled from a sour mash containing 51 per cent corn, with the balance being any combination of rye, wheat and barley. Aging these ingredients in charred barrels then imparts the distinctive caramel flavour inherent to this whiskey.

The small-batch production by Sixty-Six Gilead Distillery will appeal to whisky aficionados both for quality and rarity. This amber gem, retailing at $69.95, is only available at the distillery on Gilead Road. This sublime County whisky will disappear quickly when word gets out.