CDS Vintec Oenological Products

CDSVINTEC represents 2 cooperages (Dargaud & Jaegle, as well as Vallaurine) that produces 225 – 590 l barrels, as well as a Foudrier (producer of large wooden vats), Marc Grenier.

DARGAUD & JAEGLE Cooperage (www.dargaud-jaegle.com)

Why select a D & J Barrel?

4th generation owner managed (since 1921), D & J has managed to establish a commendable international reputation, based on consistent quality and workmanship. Other value adding attributes include;

• Unique Water Bending: Barrel crafting traditionally implies heating staves over a small fire of oak chips which softens the wood and allows the staves to be bent into the shape. The D & J alternative  of “softening” staves for bending by immersion in boiling water offers an additional benefit (moderating the impact of new oak which allows for more elegance in the wines).
• Certification & traceability: D & J is certified FTF (Fût de Tradition Française) which guarantees oak of French origin, that lots are traceable, staves are traditionally split & naturally air-dried, coopers are qualified craftsmen, barrel volume & dimension standards are respected, internal and external surfaces meet quality standards and that certain traditional procedures are applied.
• Sustainability: D & J’s wood suppliers are certified PEFC, which guarantees sourcing from sustainable forests and traceability of the oak.
• Burgundy specialist: Located at the crossroads of Beaujolais  & Maconnais, D & J established itself as a world leading  White (Chardonnay)  & Red (Pinot Noir & Gamay) Burgundy specialist. 
• Non Burgundy expertise as well: Since establishment 1921 D & J handcrafted barrels for use in both hemispheres for a wide selection of wines by offering alternatives in wood origin, toasting, grain tightness, period of oak maturation (staves) & size .  Thus excellent results have also been achieved for Red Bordeaux and other non Burgundy wines. D & J offers 2 X  100% French oak ranges (the Premium D & J and Ultra Premium Marcel Cadet ), but also the Alter Ego range where French oak is combined with Eastern European oak, provides options for all  possible needs.

How to decide on the most appropriate D & J barrel?

Choose the style & size required

With reference to the Table below, decide on the Style (ea a Bordeaux transport type)

Select the Origin and/or Texture of the oak

Some winemakers may be primarily influenced by the geographical origin  (General appellation and/or forest) in choosing or recommending a barrel for a given wine, while others will favour the tightness of the grain/view the oak texture as more significant. The 2 approaches are not mutually exclusive and a combination of the 2 approaches is possible when ordering from D & J.

There are 4 officially certifiable Generic Appellations for oak, namely (1) Isle De France ( for subtle oak flavour a long finish), (2) Centre de France (complexity, roundness as and aromatic richness), (3) Grandes Vosges (for freshness & supports both fruit and overall minerality) and (4) Burgundy (provides structure and preserves both fruit and minerality. If a D & J client wants barrels exclusively from a specified generic Appellation, this is possible  - with the qualification that for 500l Barrels only Centre de France & Grandes Vosges can be used.  Alternatively D & J also offers  “in-house” selections where the characteristics are more focused on grain tightness & texture differentiation.  Cooperages are nowadays generally playing down single-forest origin barrels because they are not allowed to  officially verify the authenticity of these claims. D& J offers 2 “Special Selections” of limited availability & 5 General Selections from their “in house” Selections.

• Special Selection 1 T (Troncais): Generally accepted as the “best” forest within the Allier “region” for ageing wines with good structure and/or where long maturation is planned, Tronçais oak enhances  the structure of the wine and infuses it with the aromas of vanilla, toasted bread and spices.  Other characteristics are similar to rest of Allier, but it typically displays a tighter grain.
• Special Selection 4 J (Jupilles): It is a special selection from the Bercé forest near the town of Jupilles. Because of the "super" fine grain, many recommend it for high-end white wines (ea Chardonnay and white Rhônes) and/or for delicate red wines with finesse. The oak  demonstrates a really tight grain that elegantly embraces the wine while preserving the fruit

D & J’s 5 General Selections aim to “customize” the in barrel ageing process in each Selection by achieving stylistic repeatability from year-to-year.

Selection 1: From the wider Allier region in the Centre de France appellation. Soils are not very fertile, causing slow growth and a fine relatively tight grain.

Selection 2: From the Bertranges forest in the Nevers region (Centre de France appellation).  Usually medium grained if compared to Allier. The result is a bigger tannin extraction, requiring a longer ageing time to fully integrate. Best for medium bodies reds aged from 12 – 18 months. Provides aromas of vanilla, grilled hazelnut, coffee, smoke and develops into liquorice and mild spices.

Selection 3: Mostly from Saint Palais forest in the Cher region (and/or other forests from the Cher region) to the North of Alliers (still in the Centre de France appellation). Similar to Allier in terms of grain, but the tannins are slightly more tannic. Provides aromas of mocha, coffee, grilled almonds, pepper, developing towards leather.

Selection 4: A selection from the rest of the Bercé forest (excluding the oak used for the Jupilles special selection ), it illustrates similar characteristics.

Selection 5: From the small forest of Fontainebleau (Ile de France appellation). 200km South of Paris. Tight grained and provides aromas of coffee, liquorice and spices.

Which level of toasting?

D & J offers 3 different levels of toasting to accommodate stylistic preferences.

VALLAURINE Cooperage (Rhone Varietal Specialist)

Barrels are fire bent & traditionally toasted over oak fueled fires.  Founded in 1885, the Desrieux cooperage (as it was previously known) is a Rhône specialist, whilst also crafting barrels suitable for non Rhône varietals.   In June 2008 the Jaeglé Family (of D & J cooperage fame), took over the cooperage and renamed it as Vallaurine. (www.vallaurine.com). Points of differentiation include;

• Rhone varietal specialist: Since 1885 Vallaurine has been recognized and respected as a Rhône Valley specialist, whilst also crafting barrels suitable for non Rhone varietals and areas. In South Africa these barrels have gained an outstanding reputation for Shiraz, Grenache, Mourvédre and more recently Cinsault (but also for Pinotage & Merlot).
• Unique differentiation system for stylistic preferences: The cooperage created an unique concept for differentiating between barrels based on the stylistic differences between Left Bank vs Right Bank Rhône Valley wines  - the principle of which was then applied universally. The distinction lies in the nature of slopes with eastern exposure (which gives vigor, body and depth to the vines of the Right Bank) vs slopes with a western exposure (nourishing the vines of the Left Bank with their delicate softness and floral aromas). Barrels are produced to complement wine style of each “bank”, using oak from different forests to complement each style. Available in 228l Burgundy, 225l Bordeaux Transport, 600l Demi-Muid as well as 114l, 300l, 400l & 500l options.

Advantages of fermenting/aging in Foudres:

The family owned cooperage of Darguad & Jaegle also crafts large wooden containers (horizontal & vertical) in various sizes and configurations. While these large oak barrels are traditional for southern Rhone varietals, they are used for all types of wines where oak aging is desirable but oak flavours are not. Locally, MCC producers have also been looking at foudres with renewed interest. Other advantages include;

• The fermentation process is facilitated, but without the wine being subjected to thermal shock.
• Temperature control of the must or wine is more effective and less energy consuming.
• Given the thermal inertness of oak, the extraction of phenolic substances and polysaccharides is better, but also gentler. It also aids with starting and finishing of malolactic fermentation. The aromatic profile of wine that went through malolactic fermentation in oak has generally been proven to be superior to stainless steel.
• Compared to aging the equivalent volume of wine in small barrels, using a foudre gives a greater ratio of volume to surface area so that any impact of oak on the wine is gentler even when barrels are new. 
• The thick staves of the foudres allow the wine to breathe, soften and integrate in a way that they don’t in an impermeable stainless-steel tank, but still protect the wine against oxidation. 
• If well looked after, foudres produced by D & J can last for decades.  They provide a gentle oak flavour for the 1^st few years, but are fully neutral by year five. 
• Horizontal foudres have the advantage of a flat bottom and a door flush with the bottom of the tank as well as a large metal lid on top.  The top lid means that the tank can be used either as an open-top fermenter (with punched-downs), or as a closed fermenter.  The flat bottom and flush door mean that solids like skins and seeds can be removed from the tank.

Click here for an overview of different Foudres and large vats produced by Dargaud & Jaegle / Vallaurine.

THE WORLD LEADER IN CONCRETE WINE TANKS

Leading wineries all over the world have chosen Nomblot cement wine-tanks. Other start-ups with similar products have proven to be inferior in design, the ability to remain “clean” and without the quality guarantee supplied by Nomblot. As undisputed leaders, Nomblot's strengths are;

• Ability to offer (in addition to traditional vats), made-to-measure installations  
• Tanks are fabricated without seams, without any chemical additives & with a quality guarantee
• Tanks offer excellent thermal inertia.
• Tanks offer the advantages of controlled micro-oxidation.
• Tanks are flavour neutral and durable.  
• Wines fermented in Nomblot display more weight, intensity & clarity of fruit (and in some instances also more pronounced minerality),  than the same wines aged in stainless steel.
• The “Oval Cask” & “Amphora” shaped options are very suited for wines styles benefitting from extended fine lees contact following fermentation.Thanks to the special shapes of these options,  the lees are continuously forced upward by an internal current resembling a vortex – in effect a natural batonage process takes place.

Over the past 20 years Nomblot has earned an excellent reputation, selling over 15,000 concrete tanks to the most prestigious wineries throughout the world including, in California: Araujo Estate Wines, Caymus Vineyards, JC Cellars, Pax Wine Cellars, Rudd Vineyard & Winery, Tim Mondavi’s Continuum, Screaming Eagle, Sine Qua Non, Viader Vineyards, and Vineyard 29; and in France at Domaine de M. Chapoutier, Domaine du Comte Armand, Domaines des Comtes Lafon, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, and Château Pontet Canet in France. In South Africa, leading wineries such as Boekenhoutskloof, Buitenverwachting, Bosman, Chamonix, D’Aria, Edgebastion, Fable, Glen Carlou, Reynecke, Rupert & Rothchild and Sadie have achieved excellent results. (www.wine-tanks.com)

The different models

Egg-shaped Polyethylene wine containers:

Should budget or winery space be a constraint, the SPEIDEL FERMENTEGG offers a good compromise (vs concrete) and allows for many of the benefits of the concrete egg tanks at a fraction of the cost. Many egg-shaped wine tanks have found their way into local wineries. Most are concrete tanks supplied by the French supplier NOMBLOT – the recognized industry reference.   Results have been very good and lead to a raised awareness of the perceived advantages. The thermal mass facilitates long, slow changes in temperature and the gradual chages do not stress the yeast population. In most situations cooling is not required due to the thermal mass properties.   Concrete is porous on a microscopic scale and provides a small micro-oxygenation effect similar to that seen with oak, whilst also avoiding the reductive conditions of stainless steel. The shape allows for vortex formation during fermentation and it keeps the lees in suspension with all the associated benefits. However, because of its weight, a winery shouldn’t plan on moving that tank very often and transport can be very expensive.  Cleaning needs to be done very carefully to prevent damage.

Egg-shaped Polyethylene tanks that allow for controlled micro-oxygenation offer an alternative solution. It might not have the same thermal qualities than concrete, but many other benefits remain. They are easy to move, smooth inside surfaces can be sanitized easily and they are available at a fraction of the cost of concrete tanks. Other general advantages include the lack of evaporation, no off flavour compounds and interference with the acidity or pH of the wine. The oxygen permeable egg-shaped tank manufactured by SPEIDEL (www.speidel-behaelter.de) (the FERMENTEGG - available in 250l & 600l), was the 1^st in the market and have gone through extensive R & D (including practical feedback from winemakers). SPEIDEL is a trusted name, having manufactured value adding wine containers for more than 100 years (using German precision engineering and process control). The design clearly differentiates it from other options and offer further unique benefits;

• Tanks are made to proven ratios for optimum oxygen permeability and other functional aspects
• Other options have relatively ’flat’’ bases and it interferes with vortex formation (keeping lees in suspension with associated benefits) during fermentation
• Tanks ‘’conserve’’ enough heat needed for fermentation, flavour & colour extraction, but do not ‘’over-heat’’ the wine. Cooling options can be integrated to manage fermentation curves better.
• Tanks are supplied with concave support bases, allowing for easy access to the valves and look aesthetically good enough to be used as a marketing tool (unlike most others).
• There are 2 valve openings (draining & racking) and a fermentation syphon bung can be fitted.
• The top lid opening was kept relatively small purposely, allowing for better cap management (a bigger portion of the cap is immersed), but at 22 cm is still big enough to allow for easy cleaning  
• Made from food grade polyethylene, BPA free & meet FDA (US) & EU Food Safety Regulations
• Oxygen permeable at a rate more or less comparable with 2^nd fill barrels  
• Smooth internal surfaces can be cleaned easily, allowing for interchangeable use (red and white)
• Sealing is good enough (and micro-oxygenation controlled enough) to use as a storage tank for wines that will benefit from additional micro- oxygenation (after fermentation).

CONSUMABLE OENOLOGICAL PRODUCTS FOR WINE MAKING

CDSVINTEC supply the products manufactured by SOFRALAB, a French company with roots going back to 1922. Products for still wines are branded "MARTIN VIALATTE" and products for bottle or tank fermented sparkling wines "STATION OENOTECHNIQUE"

1.       2019 PRODUCT LIST

MARTIN VIALATTE (Still wines). More products available on specific request, see producer website for details.

• Yeast & Yeast Nutrients
• Clarification / Fining & Flotation
• Enzymes for clarification, Tannins & oak chip replacers
• Charcoal treatment, Preservatives & Malolactic starter cultures

STATION OENOTECHNIQUE (Sparkling wine). More products available on request – see producer website for details.

• Yeast & Nutrients
• Riddling adjuvants & Tirage tannins
• Preservatives & Malolactic bacteria

 1.       OUR HISTORY:

A focused supply of products to the MCC industry

CDSVINTEC has been the undisputed market leader in the supply of yeasts & other adjuvants to the MCC industry throughout the growth of the industry over the last decade (although a limited range of still wine products have always been part of our portfolio). A new distribution agreement (effective January 2019) allowed us to maintain this position, but to further our specialization approach to include other areas of specialization. STATION OENOTECHNIQUE (a division of the French SOFRALAB Group), together with our previous supplier, dominate supply to the French Champagne industry with a market share of approximately 50% (and a market penetration of approximately 70%). Our new agreement allowed us to secure our crucial focus on the local MCC industry.

  2.       OUR FUTURE:

Retaining our specialized focus on MCC (but also adding Method Charmat)

Include products for Vegan and Organic (and Biodynamic) wines as areas of specific focus

Broadening our general Still wine portfolio

It was with interest that we noted a growing interest in products used for sustainable wine production (organic & biodynamic), vegan friendly wines, as well as tank fermented sparkling wines (Method Charmat). These opportunities fitted with our specialization approach (previously only MCC), but the problem was that the product range of our supplier at the time excluded the potential new opportunities. However, the timing coincided with our previous supplier’s decision to move their distribution to a local distributor within the same group of companies, in order to retain margins in the group. Following our resultant association with SOFRALAB, the way was cleared to introduce our new strategy (launched January 2019).  Products available under the MARTIN VIALATTE brand include a comprehensive range for organic and vegan wine preparation.  By implication we cover all facets of "fining" and "flotation", but our range also include yeasts, nutrients, yeast products, enzymes, tannins, bacteria, tannins, preservatives and other specialized products.

More about Vegan wines:  Veganism is on the rise throughout the world. Estimates show that the number of vegans in the US has probably doubled since 2009, now reaching around 2.5% of the population. While the potential allergenic nature of certain animal proteins such as casein, egg albumin and isinglass pose problems for some consumers, forcing them to consider non-animal protein alternatives, other consumers embrace veganism as a lifestyle. Aware of these new demands, SOFRALAB developed a range of products for the production of vegan wines. To download a technical workbook for Vegan wine production, click on the link: www.martinvialatte.com

More about Organic wines: SOFRALAB has been involved in the organic wine movement since 2012 with its ‘Green care Alliance' initiative and continually implements new solutions. They are certified by ECOCERT as a manufacturer of organic products and have listed more than 300 oenological products for use in organic wine-making (in accordance with European Regulation EC 834/2007 - EU 2003/2012 and with the American NOP regulations.). The list of products which comply with these regulations is available on the certifying body’s website (see the link below). The printed page of this list is a sufficient guarantee during audits if accompanied by the relevant product invoice. This ECOCERT listing officially informs our clients about listed products and simplifies their administrative tasks during audits.  

To obtain a ready-to-print list of products suitable for organic wine production, from STATION OENOTECHNIQUE, follow the link below (select ‘’English’’ as required language in header);               

ap.ecocert.com

To obtain a MARTIN VIALATTE list, follow the link below (select ‘’English’’ in the header);

ap.ecocert.com