Elevé en Foudre, maturing wine

You may have noticed the phrase “Élevé en Foudre” on some French wine bottles. What does it mean, and what impact does it have on the wine?

Winemaking is a long and complex process. After harvesting the grapes, winemakers collect the wine, start the alcoholic fermentation, and press the must. With a few exceptions, they then begin maturing the wine for sa few days or months. They have several options for this maturation: oak barrels, stainless steel tanks, concrete tanks, amphoras, and others. One of these options for maturing wine after fermentation is using a foudre.

A foudre (there is no direct translation in English) is a gigantic wooden barrel designed to store large quantities of wine, ranging from 10 hectoliters to more than 300 hectoliters. This means it can hold the equivalent of several traditional wine barrels or thousands of bottles.

The origin of the foudre is Germanic, with the first ones created in the late 16th century in southwest Germany. The name foudre comes from the German word fuder. These large wooden casks were originally built not for maturing wine but for tax collection purposes. Peasants had to give a portion of their wine to the local lord. Over time, it was uncovered that wine stored in these large containers developed unique characteristics compared to wine kept in standard-sized barrels. As a result, these gigantic barrels continued to be used even after the tax requirements that led to their creation vanished.

Naturally, foudres are prevalent in the Germanic world, including regions such as Wurtemberg, Rheinhessen, and Bad, as well as areas ranging from Alsace to Hungary. Over time, these containers were adopted in other wine regions, where they became an integral part of the region’s identity.

This is especially true for Alsace for white wines, wines from the south of the Rhône Valley, wine from Bandol, and most Mediterranean vineyards or in Douro in Portugal. Some Beaujolais winemakers also use it. But the modern use of Foudre is in the Champagne region. The first one was installed by Maison Mercier in 1871, boasting a capacity of 160,000 liters, among many others. The Foudre was exposed at the Universal Exposition in Paris and become an attraction.

Most wine appellations neither mandate nor forbid the use of foudres for maturing wine. This option, however, is significantly more expensive for winemakers, as a foudre is far more costly than stainless or inox tanks. So, what can push a winemaker to use a Foudre over an inox tank or oak barrels?

The foudre offers several benefits. Even though it is made of wood, it doesn’t add additional flavors like a new oak barrel would. Since the container isn’t charred, no woody or vanilla flavors are imparted to the wine. Additionally, the large size of the foudre means the ratio of wood to wine is much lower, resulting in a very limited influence of the wood on the wine.

Like a stainless steel tank, a foudre preserves the fruit aromas in the wine, even after long maturation. This is ideal for aromatic grape varieties like Riesling, Grenache, Syrah, Gamay, and others. The fruit is preserved, and the aging process adds structure to the wine.

A foudre has one more advantage over a stainless steel tank that justifies its high price: micro-oxygenation. The wood porosity allows for greater air-wine exchange, enabling flavors to develop and limiting the reduction in the wine. This allows for longer maturation and imparts structure to the wine. Consequently, the wine has a better aging potential.

Many winemakers appreciate using foudres. In Beaujolais, they are increasingly popular, especially for the higher appellations, as they help preserve the freshness and fruitiness compared to oak barrels. You can also find foudres in the Bordeaux region, where they contribute to producing wines with less enunciated woody flavors.

The foudre, originally a container from the past used to collect taxes, is now employed for long maturations of wine. It preserves the flavor, gives some structure, and prevents reduction. Foudres are convenient for winemakers as they require less manipulation than barrels. Nowadays, they are extremely contemporary, with connected versions available that can send information about the wine directly to your phone.