A year ago I wrote a story about some winemakers. I was drawn to these stories because of my passion for wine, meeting many of the winery owners and appreciating that many of them started from scratch. I also respect their efforts to be innovative. One of the innovations I discovered was the use of concrete fermentation tanks. Until recently they were brought to Napa from Europe. But now, high-quality concrete tanks are made in the USA.

I recently had a meeting with some winemakers and overheard a conversation about concrete fermentation tanks and was reminded of the previous conversation with a winemaker and the experiences he had with concrete. Now my interest is awakened again by concrete in winemaking. Concrete can be interesting, so let me tell you how to make concrete wine tanks.

In the US, there are a couple of manufacturers that design and build concrete fermentation tanks for the wine industry. These companies are located near the wine country. Concrete has been around since Roman times and has been used in the wine industry in Europe for several hundred years; but you’re only seeing renewed interest in concrete in the US wine industry in the last 10 years. The huge popularity of concrete among wineries in Napa, Sonoma and the Central Coast has just reached its peak in the last 5 years. This is partly due to the innovative thinkers who make good wines. American manufacturers have been making concrete wine tanks for about 6 years. The number of US-made tanks is impressive; approximately 75 in 2011.

The industry’s takeoff in the US has been difficult because it was the domain of stainless steel and wood casks. But through some research and publicity on the benefits of concrete, the tide is turning.

By the way, concrete is not called cement by the informed. I was politely told that cement is used to make concrete, which is much stronger than cement alone.

There are about 17 wineries in Napa and Sonoma that currently use concrete fermentation tanks. Concrete tanks have been around in Napa for over 50 years. But until about 5 years ago, modern tanks came from France. Some reputable winemakers and winery owners have stepped forward in the last 8 years to really promote the benefits of concrete tanks. Today, USA made concrete fermentation tanks have been sold in Georgia, Washington, Oregon and New York and internationally in New Zealand. There are approximately 40 wineries in the US that use concrete tanks. In particular, a winery in Napa received a 98-point award for one of its wines fermented in concrete tanks.

A Napa winery recently received 2 concrete fermentation tanks; each weighs 13,500 pounds and holds 1,500 gallons each. The cost of tanks is hard to pin down, however as a general rule of thumb you can expect to pay anywhere from $1,500 to $10,000 for a new tank with hardware. However, there is nothing standard about concrete fermentation tanks, each one is made to order with many styles and capacities. By all accounts it looks like the number of concrete wine fermentation tanks sold will double in 2012 compared to 2011.

Can a wine lover tell the difference when the wine is fermented in concrete or in steel? The results are documented and even include some blind tastings of wines fermented in concrete, stainless steel, wood and oak vats. If a winemaker wants the nose and texture of oak, then oak is a no-brainer. On the other hand, concrete, when done correctly, is made from clean, natural materials that are controlled throughout the process. One thing that oak and concrete have in common is that both allow the oxygenation of the wine; both materials are porous.

Cement does not add to or take away from or mask the soil. Let it all show. I would like to see a tasting expert someday comment on the record about specific fermented wines. Now that would be interesting.

The process of making a tank consists of 8 steps. The first step is to determine the desired capacity and shape, then send that to a computer model that will calculate the dimensions, weight, and pressures. The next step is to select accessories such as leg support styles, front or top ‘access ports’, heating and cooling coils, valve locations and whether you want an open or closed top. The third step is to hand-build the mold to the computer’s design specifications. At this point (step four), the specially formed concrete is mixed and hand-poured into the form. Once this process is complete, the concrete takes approximately 3 days to cure. In the fifth step, the mold is disassembled from the inside. Next is finishing and grouting the inside and outside of the bin, followed by step seven, which is adding the hardware. The last step, number eight, is the quality testing and preparation of the tank for shipment to any part of the world. From start to finish, these processes result in a tank, ready for shipment, in 4-6 weeks. And the benefits are affordable wine storage units, easy-to-clean tanks, and a long-lasting product.

The concrete mix is ​​a special proprietary mix designed by true professionals and does not contain any chemical additives. So don’t worry about the concrete imparting its own character.

Who would have thought that concrete was important for wine making?