Barrel Fill

A barrel fill operation is the process by which bulk material is filled to specific barrels. The barrels are filled to capacity (either fermenting or nonfermenting). There are several types of barrel fill operations:

• Barrel ferment fill

  Fill barrels to a specific partial capacity with unfermented juice in order to conduct alcoholic or malolactic fermentation in the barrel. Barrels are filled partially to allow room for fermentation.

• Fill with bulk material

  Fill barrels to complete capacity with bulk material for aging or storage.

• Drain to barrel

  Juice that has finished fermentation in a tank (usually red) is drained from a tank or press by gravity and put into barrels to age.