Concrete-Aged Wines Are on the Rise. Here Are 5 to Try Now.
If great wine is a work of art, then you might consider the oak barrel in which it’s typically aged as the frame that shows off its best qualities. But just as an ornate setting can draw more attention than the painting, wood can overpower fruit and hide a wine’s true beauty. It’s why an increasing number of cellar masters are aging in concrete, an old-fashioned method that has never felt more current. The material’s neutral palette ensures that the terroir—and the effects of the season—shine through in your glass.
“Our pursuit is not about creating the perfect wine, but about crafting a wine that tells the story and reflects the characteristics of the place where we live,” explains Sebastián Zuccardi, proprietor of Familia Zuccardi in Mendoza, Argentina. The nation’s winemakers had been using concrete for almost 300 years, until Italian influence made its way west in the late 19th century. “When you also look at the history of wine in our region, it is closely tied to concrete,” Zuccardi says. “For us, concrete is about going back to the future.”
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It’s also about meeting current demand. Heavy, overly tannic bottles are losing their appeal among wine lovers who have shifted toward lighter diets. Using concrete enables winemakers to offer vintages with fresher characteristics. This is possible thanks to the slow and steady oxygenation such barrels provide. “We use uncoated concrete, since its granularity can trap oxygen reserves,” says Michel Chapoutier, owner and winemaker at M. Chapoutier in France’s Rhône Valley. “This allows for a level of oxidation that is less pronounced than barrel aging but greater than what occurs in coated-concrete or stainless-steel tanks.”
But don’t think oak is going by the wayside anytime soon. While some wines are aged entirely in concrete, there are still producers who combine methods. “The challenge with oak barrels is that the oxygenation is sometimes too powerful and can oxidize the grape aromas,” says Jérôme Ledit, estate manager and winemaker at Pym-Rae Tesseron Estate in Napa Valley. He favors concrete but keeps a small portion of some wines in oak for balance.
Concrete’s other main benefit is limited temperature variation; whether egg-shaped or in a large rectangular tank form, the thicker walls “change and transmit temperature more slowly” than oak, Ledit says. It gives winemakers more control over the final product—and, when you taste one of the five bottles on the opposite page, you’ll know that’s a good thing.
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Zuccardi 2019 Finca Las Cerrilladas Malbec Gualtallary | Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina
Made with 100 percent Malbec, this wine is fermented in epoxy-free concrete tanks, then aged in the same containers for a year before bottling. It offers a bouquet of black cherry, purple plum, oregano, and slate. Polished tannins and bold acidity bolster flavors of raspberry, red currant, and cassis. $175
M. Chapoutier 2016 Barbe Rac Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Rhône Valley, France
This wine is produced using a selection of superior Grenache berries from 90-year-old vines and aged for about 16 months. With a nose of raspberry, anisette, and dried Mediterranean herbs, it has luscious tannins and flavors of Luxardo cherry, licorice, thyme, and slate. Its best quality may be its long-lasting finish. $243
Pym-Rae Tesseron Estate 2021 Mount Veeder | Napa Valley, California
The late Robin Williams once owned this estate and named it using his oldest children’s middle names. This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot is fermented in 264-gallon concrete tanks, then aged in a mix of concrete and wood barrels. Aromas of blackberry, cocoa powder, and pencil lead give way to flavors of black cherry, lavender, clove, and cigar box. $390
La Chapelle 2021 Chevalier de Sterimberg Hermitage Blanc | Rhône Valley, France
Fermented in egg-shaped concrete tanks and demi-muids (double-size oak barrels), then aged six to nine months, this 100 percent Marsanne wine has a nose of Anjou pear, jasmine, and crushed oyster shell. Round on the palate, it tastes of passion fruit, pineapple, grapefruit peel, and orange blossom, with a touch of brioche. $175
Familia Torres 2021 Pazo Torre Penelas Blanco Granito Albariño | Rías Baixas, Spain
This silky dram is fermented and then aged on the lees for eight months in egg-shaped vats. The wine spends an additional 12 months in stainless steel, still on the lees, before bottling. It has a bouquet of lemon-lime, jasmine, cardamom, and sea salt; flavors of lemon, pineapple, and dried thyme close with a note of brine. $60
