Tim's Cooper Experience
Tim Olson, Olson Ogden Wines winemaker, worked for a French Cooperage for three years between 1995 and 1998. While there, he served the dual role of sales manager for the boutique winery division as well as Enologist in charge of research and experiments.
Tim spent the better part of three years visiting wineries throughout California, over 300 in total. He met and visited with over 400 winemakers and tasted many thousands of barrel samples. The conversations with all these winemakers and the ability to ask questions about why and what was being experimented with led to a lot of insight. His favorite part of the experience centered around a research project he conducted. It was called the American Oak Terroir Trial - a three year study of American Oak sources based on geography. Just as the French differentiate their forests and offer barrels made with oak from different locations, it was questioned whether oak from different forests in America would make a difference. The preliminary answer is yes, but that is a qualified yes.
There are many variables that go into making a barrel and the wood source is just one of them. Other variables include where the wood is seasoned (outside, open air curing), how long it is seasoned, the age of the tree when it is felled, the tightness of the grain in the wood and who the cooper is. The initial results of the research indicated that there were indeed differences in the flavor profiles of the various American oak sources.
Although Tim is no longer at the cooperage, he continues to be fascinated by how oak barrels contribute to crafting fine wines. He continues to experiment and fine tune the barrel program for Olson Ogden Wines. Each new vineyard and each vintage present new challenges for making fine wines with just the right amount of seasoning from the spice rack. It is a continual learning process.
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