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4 6 V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T | J u l y - A u g 2 016 w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m would be a huge game changer." Typically, the vessels season and improve over time with use, he says, adding tartrates and building more character. Another variable with which some winemakers are experiment- ing is tank shape. Square-shaped tanks may be more space efficient. Concrete, for example, is available in several confirmations including conical and egg-shaped. "There may be some differences in wines pro- duced by these vessels" as a result of shape, says Zoecklein. "Those differences may be transitory." WHAT CONSUMERS WANT Does marketing or appealing to the consumer's imagination factor into selecting a tank material? Opin- ion is divided, but most experts say customers are most interested in drinking a wine that's well made and tastes good. Both Beckham Estate Vineyard and Okanagan Crush Pad offer wines made from the same juice in different vessels for customers to compare. "Now that the wines [made in clay vessels] are coming to mar- k e t , " s a y s B e c k h a m , " t h e y ' r e backing the story up." Dumayne concurs, saying wines made in con- crete sell at a 10:1 ratio. Clay vessels with and without glazing are getting a lot of atten- tion. Like some concrete tanks, they provide some natural micro- oxygenation that may soften the texture of some wines. Rather than comparing apples to oranges — which these different materials are, in some respects — Zoeck- lein says winemakers should be asking the fundamental question: "What vessels are most suitable for developing the type and style of wine desired?" Linda Dailey Paulson is a writer based in Portland, Ore. During her career she has covered water and agriculture as well as the wine industry for various newspapers and trade publications. Comments? Please e-mail us at feedback@vwmmedia.com. Double inside bar 1.5" x 2" bar BIG FOOT has more than double the footprint of a standard two-barrel rack. The BIG FOOT allows you to stack barrels 6 high. With over twice the base, your barrel stacks are more stable. The extremely durable BIG FOOT barrel rack can be powder coated in your favorite color. Contact us for our complete brochure on barrel room layout design. Stockton, CA 95205 209.944.0921 westernsquare.com WESTERN SQUARE I N D U S T R I E S We don't sell forklifts. We just keep them very busy. Why we call it B IG FOO T a product of Western Square Industries