Maintaining an Oak Cask
Important of Oak Cask Maintenance
Ongoing maintenance of oak casks, vats, and rounds is important to ensure that oak casks can be used for many years whilst maintaining a positive influence during the maturation of your wine. When a cask becomes older and no longer imparts flavour, it will still play an important role in the maturation of your wine and as a storage vessel. Proper maintenance ensures that you get a full lifespan out of your oak products.
François Foudrier produces large format oak vats, casks, and rounds, which are significantly larger than typical oak barrels. Strict traceability of all oak is managed on-site, from forest, to stave mill, to Foudrerie. These vessels can last a lifetime when they are maintained and looked after.
First Use of a Cask
Before the first use, it is recommended that winemakers check the cask to ensure that it is sound and ready for use. The casks have travelled from France, so there is the possibility that issues may have arisen during transit. Foudrerie water-tests all their casks before they ship them, however, it is still important to double-check the volume and ensure there are no leaks. While it takes time, it is always worth doing.
In order to do this, Foudrerie François recommends spraying hot water around the inside of the cask and then maintaining about 15-20cm of water at the bottom overnight. If there are no issues, the cask can be used for wine after drainage of the water.
Steps for Maintaining an Oak Cask
The maintenance of a cask is very similar to a barrel, and it can be broken down into 3 steps.
It is important that the cask is cleaned properly. Both hot and cold water can be used, depending on what you have on hand. It is also important that a high pressure cleaner is not used because it can damage the wood fibres.
After it has been cleaned, the wood needs to be disinfected. Some issues may arise with the wood structure if it is not done correctly, so it is important that this step is executed carefully.
While the use of chemical products is not recommended, a steamer can be used, such as the Barriclean. Foudrerie François recommends about 2-3 minutes per hectare litre of capacity.
The cask then needs to be dried; it is very important that proper drainage is ensured to avoid mould proliferation. It can be dried naturally, by leaving the cask door and top open. If you want to use a ventilator machine to facilitate the drain, you can. It will make the drying process much more efficient, and time can sometimes be very important.
Of course, the best way to maintain your cask or vat is to keep it full of wine that is in good condition.
Craft the balance and structure that your wines deserve with Classic Oak Products.
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