Distributed through Bouchard Cooperages, Vin et Terre jars are crafted by hand from sandstone and contain high levels of silica allowing them to be fired at a high temperature of 1300 degrees Celsius resulting in a low 2.5% porosity, smooth 3 cm interior walls that are easy to clean, and equipped with modern day wine making accessories. The jars work best on aromatic and textural whites and lighter styles red varietals.
Present in some of France's and now North America's most prestigious cellars, Vin et Terre jars represent a practical vessel that can be used in a number of different ways:
- Most commonly and the case in many French cellars, due to their unique porosity, sizes, and fluid dynamics that translate to texture in the wine, the jars can be used as a fermenting or blending component along with your barrels, stainless steel, or concrete tanks.
- To ferment or age a special cuvée or vineyard designate bottling.
- As a post-fermenting / aging tank or pre-bottling vessel to help tighten up the wine due to the jar's low porosity while also building more complexity and character via it's very slow micro-oxidation qualities.
The different styles of jars included:
ZEN:
The Zen represents Vin et Terre's most popular jar. Available in 500L and 1000L and equipped with a stainless steel stand, full discharge valve, sample port, sandstone and stainless steel lids, and a glass colmatore airlock system.
ZEN FLUID DYNAMICS:
The post-fermentation fluid dynamic diagram of the Zen shows very little movement, therefore making the Zen an excellent vessel for extended aging for whites and especially reds due to its low 2.5% porosity.
CORALIE:
The Coralie represents Vin et Terre's second most popular jar and is more curved and round in shape. Available in 500L and 1000L and equipped with a stainless steel stand, full discharge valve, sample port, sandstone and stainless steel lids, and a glass colmatore airlock system.
CORALIE FLUID DYNAMICS:
Due to its round shape, the Coralie allows for the constant suspension of the lees, hence building amazing texture on the palette, especially in whites. Post-fermentation, the fluid dynamic still shows the wine moving, making the Coralie an excellent jarre for enhancing texture on the palate.
OVO COUCHE:
The Ovo Couché represents Vin et Terre's jarre that most resembles a barrel yet it is a horizontal egg. Available in 230L and 300L and equipped with an optional rotary support system yet many customers use a padded barrel rack instead. The same wine in a barrel can easily be compared with the Ovo Couché in order to get a preliminary understanding of sandstone as a winemaking vessel.
OVO COUCHE FLUID DYNAMICS:
The post-fermentation diagram of the Ovo Couché shows the most movement and the jar excels the most for whites where a significant amount of texture seeks to be built on the palate.
SATINE (NEW!)
The Satine represents Vin et Terre's newest jar and can be described as a hybrid between the Zen and Coralie. Available in 700L and equipped with a stainless steel stand, full discharge valve, sample port, sandstone and stainless steel lids, and a glass colmatore airlock system. The Satine has slightly more curvature than the Zen but less than the Coralie, making it a great jar for both fermentation and aging.