The Alcohol & Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO the folks who license and regulate us) announced that Ferment on Premise facilities will be permitted to combine multiple customers’ ingredients, allowing innovative practices such as barrel aging.
This change allows us to utilize winemaking techniques to enhance your wine such as fermentation in stainless barrels as well as aging wines in oak barrels.
Wine is aged in barrels for flavor development, maturity, and longevity after bottling. The main positive effects of aging (controlled oxidation) include enhancement and stabilization of red colour, softening of tannins, development of complex aromas and improvement in wine's body and mouth feel. In short, it allows the slow ingress of oxygen–a process which makes wine taste smoother and less astringent.
Oak aging can aid in the development of various aromas and flavours: Vanilla, Caramel, Smoke, Chocolate, Coffee, Toffee, baking spices like cinnamon, clove, nutmeg.
Steel barrels are a type of barrel made from stainless steel used to ferment and age wine. The steel imparts no flavor to the wine: it merely holds the wine for a period of time while it stabilizes and the flavors integrate. Steel barrels also don’t let any oxygen come into contact with the wine. This type of fermentation and aging helps wines retain the fresh fruit aromas that degrade with exposure to oxygen. A noticeable enhancement to all wines fermented and aged in this fashion.
Barrel Wine Masters Series
Our Wine Master Series uses only our very best Vintner's Select Series wines along with techniques learned during the past 30 years of wine making. These wines are fermented in a stainless steel vessel. Grape skins will be added during this process as well as an extended fermentation period with dried grapes for an Appassimento style. After fermentation is complete the wine is transferred to our wooden barrels for aging. Barrel aging is also extended in the Wine Master Series.
Barrel Winemakers Series
Our Winemakers Series uses our juices from our Supreme, Vintner's Reserve, Fresh Must and Vintner's Select Series wines. These wines are fermented in a stainless steel vessel. Grape skins maybe added during this process as well a dried grapes for a Appassimento style. After fermentation is complete the wine is transferred to our wooden barrels for aging.
Barrel Aged Wine
Our Barrel Aged Wines are made using our Limited and Supreme Series Wines. These wines are fermented in a stainless steel vessel. After fermentation is complete the wine is transferred to our wooden barrels for aging.