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The Austrian cooperage Schön has presented the world's first wine barrels made of wood and stone. For this, the staves made from Austrian, French, German, or Croatian oak are combined with barrel bottoms made of stone slabs. Depending on the regional geological occurrence, these can be made of slate or granite. In the future, the inventor, 29-year-old Manuel Schön, also wants to offer bottoms made of marble or fermentation containers with concrete slabs.
The barrels combine the advantages of classic aging in wood – micro-oxidation and stylistic influence through toasting – with reductive elements, as the stone slabs allow very little oxygen to pass through. The wines aged in them offer the aromatic profile of wood aging, but are fresher and clearer in expression, according to the cooperage. This is intended to appeal to younger consumers who seek more freshness and fruit.
As Manuel Schön explains, "the possibilities are virtually limitless; a wide variety of materials can be used." He has worked for several years on the development of the hybrid barrels and tested them with various wines. The combination of wood and stone is produced according to customer preferences. Various types of wood, toasting options, and types of stone are available. The barrel staves can also be renewed. A hybrid barrel with a capacity of 225 liters costs around 1,200 euros, depending on the material. It is about a third heavier than conventional barriques, weighing 88 kilograms due to the stone bottoms.
(al; Image: Matthias Koestler)
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