WINE TRIALS IN GERMANY:

Winemaking trials using Flextank vessels are still new in to the German industry. One trial at the Staatliche Lehr und Versuchsanstalt für Wein und Obstbau in Weinsberg (State Wine School, Weinsburg) examined the impact of oxygen on the maturation of Cabernet Dorsa, a variety known for its deep colour and high tannin levels.

The various vessels used included oak barriques, Flextanks and stainless steel, with and without oak chips. Micro-oxygenation (MoX) was also applied to wine in some of the stainless steel tanks. The results are preliminary at this stage, with the wines still to be bottled and to undergo formal sensory analysis at that time. However, in-cellar tasting from each vessel showed that those wines with access to oxygen (Flextanks, barriques and steel with MoX) showed a better palate structure than wines without oxygen. This is consistent with trials in other countries.