Happy Arbor Day!!
Originally founded as a 'thing' in 1872 by Joy Morton, the tag line "The Champion of Trees" is a fitting reference to those who seek to preserve the integrity of our global forests.
As the great oak forests of France warm, succumb to insect infiltration or disease, the coopers of France have been forced to source trees 200 miles north of the historic forests their cooper grandfathers sourced.
Although none of the tree species used for barrel oak are currently on the watch list or endangered, it is obvious that the appetite for oak in beverage production as well as the increasing challenges of supply are driving concern, both in France and America.
Over a year ago, I had a conversation with Silvia Alvarez-Clare regarding this topic.
My statement was that we certainly have enough information to look forward 20 years and see that don't have to wait until these trees are threatened.
After all, it takes 200 years to produce the growth of the trees we use for fine oak barrels.........and the average lifespan of a barrel in a winery is 5-7 years.
Someone out there has to be good at math (simply math!).
Interviewing cooper Stéphane RADOUX over the last year, his statement of supply concerns has driven him to establish a company to specifically address the issue with 100% sustainability in the philosophy of beverage oak.
EBX - Solutions de Tannins Oenologiques uses a low temperature osmosis extraction process to produce a pure and smooth oak extract (yes, it's a tannin but very different from typical heat-extracted tannins).
The purpose is to replicate the cool temperatures of the barrel cellar and only extracting the compounds that naturally draw from barrels in the cellar environment.
These are critical philosophy components of sustainability as 'natural resource conservation is the heartbeat of a good sustainability strategy.
After all, if we're using and/or generating more 'heat', how does this lower our impact on resources?
If we're using more water, energy, labor, space, and time, how does this equate to responsible sustainability practices?
It obviously does not....but who's asking the hard questions?
So much more to learn and so much more to do to be "Good Stewards" of our earthly home.
#resourceconservation #techtalk4wine #winemakersforum #oak #barrels Doug Manning Tim Hanni MW Bill Brinkle Wade Myers
Editor and Publisher | Edible Marin & Wine Country
5moYour feature on Barndiva's Conversations Worth Having series was the best kind of trash talk! Thanks for sharing it in Edible Marin & Wine Country's spring issue.