https://thevineandthistle.com/2020/01/05/breaking-dormancy/2020-01-05T22:21:50+00:00monthlyhttps://thevineandthistle.com/2017/02/19/touring-tuscany-and-the-big-3/https://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/tuscany-0923.jpgtuscany-0923https://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/tuscany-0926.jpgtuscany-09262017-04-19T00:51:05+00:00monthlyhttps://thevineandthistle.com/2016/12/24/merry-christmas-and-happy-holidays/https://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/img_2124_91499.jpgimg_2124_914992017-02-19T19:02:53+00:00monthlyhttps://thevineandthistle.com/2016/04/14/whiskey-fundamentals-part-i-scotch-a-visit-to-balvenie/https://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/img_9747.jpgIMG_9747https://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/img_9742.jpgIMG_9742https://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/peat2.jpgpeat2https://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/peat.jpgpeatA pile of anthracite.https://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/hand-of-barley.jpghand of barleyhttps://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/distillery.jpgdistilleryhttps://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/barley-room.jpgbarley roomhttps://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/barley-room-mountain.jpgbarley room mountainhttps://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/barley-pouring.jpgbarley pouringhttps://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/barley-room-2.jpgbarley room 22016-12-24T20:42:04+00:00monthlyhttps://thevineandthistle.com/2016/03/26/last-minute-easter-party-wines/2016-06-26T16:36:17+00:00monthlyhttps://thevineandthistle.com/2016/06/25/why-put-a-cork-in-it/https://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/img_9750-copy-copy.jpgIMG_9750 copy copyhttps://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/img_8855-e1464953153581.jpgAgglomeratehttps://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/img_8853-e1464953259762.jpgAglomerate w/ real discshttps://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/img_8852-e1464953331776.jpgReal Corkhttps://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/img_8851-e1464953410887.jpgArtificial Corkshttps://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/img_8850-e1464953526589.jpgSparkling topshttps://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/img_8849-e1464953585179.jpgSparkling bottomshttps://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/img_8848-e1464953641826.jpgSparkling2016-06-26T14:51:01+00:00monthlyhttps://thevineandthistle.com/2016/03/15/a-very-personal-spirit/2016-04-14T19:36:02+00:00monthlyhttps://thevineandthistle.com/whiskey/https://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/img_8434.jpgIMG_84342016-03-26T17:54:03+00:00weekly0.6https://thevineandthistle.com/about/2016-03-15T22:10:47+00:00weekly0.6https://thevineandthistle.com/2016/03/13/wine-fundamentals-the-process/https://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/img_4251_83001.jpgIMG_4251_83001https://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/img_6844-edit.jpgIMG_6844-EditThe Barrel Room at Château de Pressac in St. Emilion, Bordeaux. This is where the final aging process takes place before bottling. During the aging process, wine evaporates (the Angel's Share) through the barrels and creates an air pocket in the top. This requires the barrels to be topped-off to minimize the wine's contact with oxygen, which can damage the wine. https://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/img_6536-edit1.jpgIMG_6536-EditOur friendly tour guide shows us around the vat room at Château Mouton Rothschilds where fermentation takes place. You can see the steel vats up front and the oak vats toward the back. https://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/img_6849-edit.jpgIMG_6849-EditLabels and packaging are applied by hand and machine before shipping to the consumer. At Chateau de Pressac the labels were being applied to bottles only before packaging for shipment. Un-purchased bottles are stored in the cellar without labeling. Vintage information is printed on the cork to identify the unlabeled bottles.https://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/img_6555-edit.jpgIMG_6555-EditCellar workers "topping off" barrels as they age in the cellar. Called the Angel's Share, wine evaporates over time and creates air gaps at the top of the barrel. Topping off the barrels with wine from other barrels ensures minimal oxygen makes contact with the wine, thus ensuring proper development.https://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/img_7035.jpgIMG_70352016-03-14T23:46:44+00:00monthlyhttps://thevineandthistle.com/2016/03/07/welcome-to-the-vine-and-thistle/https://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/img_7248-edit.jpgIMG_7248-Edit2016-03-14T23:50:13+00:00monthlyhttps://thevineandthistle.com/2016/03/09/this-wine-journeys-origin/https://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/img_9635-edit.jpgIMG_9635-Edit2016-03-09T19:50:37+00:00monthlyhttps://thevineandthistle.com/blog/2016-03-07T20:22:00+00:00weekly0.6https://thevineandthistle.com/travel/https://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/img_6406-e1439739291662.jpgIMG_64062015-08-16T15:36:27+00:00weekly0.6https://thevineandthistle.com/food/https://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/img_1778_83384-edit-e1439738888160.jpgIMG_1778_83384-Edit2015-08-16T15:29:41+00:00weekly0.6https://thevineandthistle.com/wine/https://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/wineheader.jpgWineHeaderhttps://thevineandthistle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/img_4343_83204.jpgIMG_4343_832042015-08-16T14:53:36+00:00weekly0.6https://thevineandthistle.com/our-events/2016-03-09T18:24:57+00:00weekly0.6https://thevineandthistle.comdaily1.02020-01-05T22:21:50+00:00