The Smart Oak Alternative

Infusion spiral systems for wine, a patented system by The Barrel Mill in USA.

Many winemakers will say that great wine is really made in the vineyard. Their job is simple: do no harm and let the grapes work their wonder. But the winemaker's role deserves more credit than just serving as a sort of chaperone for the grapes. Decisions are made almost daily along the wine processing continuum and it is the winemaker who navigates the journey that leads to greatness.

Throughout this ongoing winemaking activity, the possible application of oak arises almost any time. From fermentation to just weeks before bottling, this abundant resource with properties seemingly naturally created for winemaking is applied in all kinds of formats to perform one or more critical functions. Whether to build, enhance, support, sweeten, lengthen, lift, mask, improve, complement, round-out or add structure, oak is second only to grapes in the hierarchy of components that directly impacts the winemaker's final product.

Understanding the role of oak in the winemaking function was - and still is - the inspiration for the design, manufacture, assembly and packaging of the Infusion Spiral system by The Barrel Mill. The company believes that in addition to contributing aroma and flavour, an oak adjunct must offer convenience, simplicity, refinement, and unquestionable value in a neat, clean, quality-controlled package. Furthermore, when all of these benefits come in a product that performs eight times faster than a new oak barrel, winemakers see, taste, smell, feel, and experience for themselves why the Infusion Spiral system earns its designation as the smartest oak alternative. The unique spiral-cut design creates unrivalled surface area in a small package, allowing fast extraction of the toasted oak's aroma and flavour compounds with refined integration in the wine.