Oak, steel, concrete, clay or marble: How the vessels used in winemaking affect flavour

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A new luxury cabernet sauvignon from Tuscany, which was aged in specially designed marble amphorae, shows how trends and fashion continue to influence wine production. Fuori Marmo 2019 spent two years aging inside two 1,750-litre vessels made from white marble, which reportedly cost 100,000 euros each.

Whether they are fashioned from wood, steel, concrete, clay or even Carrara marble, there are specific requirements for tanks or vessels used for macerating, fermenting and aging wine: constructed to be leak proof, an ability to regulate temperature and easy to clean and maintain count among the practical considerations. (For wine producers without a direct line to marble quarries, cost also ranks high on the list.) Stylistic concerns regarding how the container will affect the finished product are also a factor. Does the winemaker want the richness that comes from using a new French oak barrel to ferment and age their chardonnay or would they prefer to fashion a more subtle, pure style of wine?

These decisions matter because the type of container used to ferment and store wine can have a dramatic impact on its flavour and overall character. If you place the same wine in a stainless steel tank and a new French oak barrel, there will be differences in the aromas and flavours that would be easy to discern even for the uninitiated.

Stainless steel tanks are prized for their durability and effectiveness. They are also easy to clean and maintain and promote the production of fresh and fruity styles of wine that can be sold at affordable prices.

Oak barrels are expensive, ranging from $200 for used 225-litre American oak barrels to more than $2000 for new French oak barrel. As a result, they are only used for a small percentage of the wines produced around the world each year. The size and age of these containers have significant impact, depending on how much oxygen transfer they allow, the surface-to-wine ratio and the age of the barrel. Smaller 225-litre barrels have more wood influence than larger ones, which can range from 500- to 2,000-litres and larger. After three or four years of use, a wine barrel is neutral — they don’t contribute the same vanillins, tannins and other components to the flavour of the wine but continue to promote chemical reactions that affect the texture and character of the wine.

Concrete, clay and stone ware are increasingly popular, flavour-neutral styles. They provide similar aging conditions to a barrel but without any oak-derived aromas or flavours. In the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s, old concrete vats were removed from wineries as cellars were refurbished and oak barrel aging became the fashion that turned wine critics’ heads. The modern taste prefers winemakers to present a clear expression of the grape variety and where it was grown.

How does marble fit into the picture? The few wineries that use these unusual and expensive vessels suggest it adds a wet stone character to the wine. The release of the Tuscan cabernet is one of only a few examples available to consumers.

Another Italian winery, Musella in Verona, uses red marble vessels to age one of its white wines, while the leading Austrian producer, Domäne Wachau, has been experimenting with containers made of marble since 2018. The marble vat and a larger, 1,130-litre stone vessel are used to produce the winery’s Grüner Veltliner Steinwerk, which was recently released in the United States. The winery’s director, Roman Horvath, explained in a press release, “As a winemaker, going outside the typical winemaking process creates wines you don’t often find on the market, and the Steinwerk is a unique wine that is a conversation starter.”

The selection of marble aged wines could increase in 2024 when the amphorae used to produce Fuori Marmo will be available for purchase by other wineries looking to make the 100,000 euro investment.

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