02 Process Step 3 — 9-Month Barrel Aging & Bottling: Still — El Ramato Carmesí
Process Summary
9 months in a single 225 L neutral oak barrel, filled completely, topped weekly. Passive microoxygenation through the oak staves converts the VA → balsamic over the 9-month timeline. Bottling is straightforward: light filtration only, no fining, no SO₂ adjustment.
Process Stages
- Barrel filled completely (Day 2 after blending)
- Weekly top-up — eliminate headspace; no O₂ ingress to wine surface
- Weekly sensory check — smell + taste, monitor VA → balsamic conversion
- 9-month aging at cellar ambient (12–16°C)
- Pre-bottling analysis — VA reduced from 0.96 to ~0.85 g/L; color stable; tannins polymerized
- Light filtration at bottling
- Bottling — 266 bottles expected (200 L ÷ 0.75 L per 750 mL)
- Cork or screwcap closure — the aging is complete
Assets
| Filename | Description | Stage |
|---|---|---|
trying wine | Barrel tasting — the central monitoring image | Monitoring |
wine | Wine in vessel reference | Aging |
liquid wine | Wine liquid reference | Aging |
drops_of_wine | Wine drops reference | Service |
| wine_dropping | Pour reference | Service |
| wine_dropping_drops | Drop sequence | Service |
Three wines | Portfolio shot — Still wine among the three | Release |
Poorin Garnatxa to glass | Garnatxa being poured (color reference) | Release |