I spent 20 of Edmunds St. Johns' 25 years wishing I could make wine in concrete, after discovering that some of the finest wines I've tasted in nearly 40 years in this business were made entirely in concrete. They tasted that way for several really important reasons: first, they were made from really exceptional grapes, grown in great vineyards, second, the surface of the concrete didn't add or subtract anything from the aroma and flavor the grapes imparted to the wine, and third, the porosity of the concrete "freshened" the wine, keeping it from becoming bound-up, or marked by reduction. It sounded great, but after making wine using stainless and oak barrels for so long, I felt like I didn't quite know what to expect.
Concrete wine vats have been around for well over 150 years, so there's no rocket-science involved. When I learned how long Micah has been working with concrete, I felt I was in good hands, and when I met him, I was even more sure of it. He's a very good craftsman, and he 's long understood that the success of his business depends on making sure his customers succeed using his products. So I had him build me a tank, and I co-fermented some marvelous Syrah and Grenache grapes in it, and I've been thrilled from the first taste! There's a reason these vats are still around after such a long time; they make the grapes happy to become wine!
Facts about the 477 Gallon Cylinder:
Designed for versatility
Space saving 5 foot in diameter
Comes with a pair of 30 inch tall legs
Excellent temperature retention
Superior neutral storage
Standard santitation techniques
Longer life than wood products
Standard tank includes:
20" top door
16" x 21" man door
one 2" triclover racking port
one 2" triclover drainage port
one thermal well
one tasting port
It is always possible to customize a tank to better fit your needs. Please contact our office there are virtually endless possibilities.
Special pre-season pricing on this tank $7999
(if ordered before April 30, 2010) List Price $8450
