introducing: american plus plus The most successful businesses are always innovating, and that certainly applies to Oak Barrel Alternative companies. Founded in 1979, Innerstave was the first company to offer premium oak complements to the wine industry and after more than forty years, we are still hard at work creating new and exciting offerings. a new year, a new toast …
pine podcast Dan Quinones recently stopped by 8th street to record and episode of the Pine Podcast with Cody and Gary. Listen below to hear a discussion about Innerstave’s product lineup, and the new project, Cask Cubes. This is Innerstave’s first foray into DTC products – don’t miss out on this episode if you want all of the details! ready …
When I first entered the world of wine and spirits, I had no idea what a large role bulk wine and bulk spirits played. Like most people, I thought every winemaker and distiller made their own product with their own hands. A product of their own blood, sweat and tears. It turns out, many wines that end up being bottled …
which oak format should you use? One of the most common questions I get regarding oak complements is around oak format. Should I use chips, cubes, squares, staves? Is there an advantage to either one? Well, that can be a relatively complicated question and one that you may or may not find widely differing opinions on. Since this is my blog, I am going to …
harvest 2022 challenges Rarely does a perfect harvest come along and 2022 is no exception. Drought, frost, extended heat spells can stress vineyards and challenge even the most skilled Winemaking team. Winemakers that were forced to pick early or during the heat spell around Labor Day may be challenged with pyrazines and a lack of color, structure, and weight. Oak can …
precisely pair your wine with oak I believe that one of the biggest advantages to using barrel alternatives is the ability to very precisely pair your wine with the oak that gives the best result. Whether you’re looking to hit a specific wine style, for a boost to the mid-palate, or to add richness and depth, the benchtop trial allows …
it doesn’t have to be all or nothing Barrels are bad right? Nope… personally, I love barrels, they’re fun to order, they’re pretty, they smell good, they are romantic and are handy when plunging over waterfalls. The have also traditionally been used to help craft some of the finest wines in the world. They are also expensive, difficult to manage, …
so we can better serve our customers It has been said that to be successful in business one should know their product better than anyone else. We agree, and with that in mind the team here at Innerstave decided to buy a couple barrels of wine this year – a 2021 Lodi Chardonnay and Cabernet and oak ‘em up. step …
from winemaker to wine fixer It turns out winemaking is not always about romance and strolls through sun-drenched Tuscan vineyards. While I have personally frolicked across Tuscan hillsides, it was not in a winemaking role, yet wine certainly played its part. That aside, most winemakers put their heart and soul into their craft and sometimes the result can be both …
building your wines foundation I have always looked at crafting wines like building a house. You start with a good solid foundation and sturdy framework (i.e grapes) and continually build upon that throughout the winemaking process. Unfortunately, I have yet to work at a winery that only harvests perfect grapes, therefore my foundation has always benefited from a little extra …