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WINERY A barrel interior is renewed after shaving with the Phoenix robotic cutting router. Photo: Ted Rieger Extending the Life of Your Barrels Reconditioning options increase, go high-tech By Ted Rieger, senior feature editor econditioning used oak barrels to reuse for wine aging can pro- vide cost and environmental benefits for wineries. Historically, premium winemakers often shied away from using shaved barrels, fearing, at best, that the flavor pro- file of a shaved barrel wouldn't fit their winemaking program, or at worst, that they could have microbi- al contamination. With new French oak now costing $1,000 or more per barrel, and with improved bar- rel reconditioning methods, wine- makers are taking a new look at reconditioning older barrels as a cost-effective option to add more years of use to their oak investment. A key factor in a barrel's suitabil- ity for reconditioning is the depth of wine penetration into the stave wood. Old wine residue presents potential for contamination from Brettanomyces and other spoilage microbes, and from volatile acid- ity (VA). Even "clean" wine residue can impart unwanted flavors and aromas, especially if it remains dur- ing toasting. 72 VINEYARD & WINERY MANAGEMENT NOV - DEC 2012 AT A GLANCE Oak barrel reconditioning provides cost and environmental benefits, particularly with French oak bar- rels. The goal of barrel reconditioning is to remove wine-saturated wood while maintaining barrel integrity. Barrel reconditioning can provide up to three years of additional oak extraction. Some barrel reconditioning ser- vices can convert used red wine barrels into white wine barrels. The goal of reconditioning is to remove wine-penetrated wood, which is a balancing act, as remov- ing too much wood will weaken the integrity of the barrel's struc- ture, making it more prone to leak- age, or susceptible to damage during movement and stacking. Experienced reconditioning servic- es inspect and evaluate each barrel prior to work and during the rehab process. Most reconditioning coo- pers also offer finished barrels for sale at about half the cost (or less) of a new barrel. TRADITIONAL BARREL RECONDITIONING Barrel Builders of St. Helena, Calif., has provided barrel shaving services since 1972, and recondi- tioned more than 300,000 barrels. Company owner Phil Burton said, "We turn down jobs if the barrels aren't in suitable condition, as it won't be worth it and the customer won't be happy." Barrel Builders uses a traditional reconditioning process with the heads removed and the barrel body rotated around a stationary router that shaves off wine-saturated wood. The shaved wood is sanded smooth, allowed to dry for 24 hours, and can be toast- ed over an open oak flame. The heads are planed smooth before barrel reassembly. Toasting is an WWW.VWM-ONLINE.COM