🍷 Concrete egg
An egg-shaped concrete tank where wine gently stirs itself.
The concrete egg is an egg-shaped concrete tank in which wine ferments and is aged. The shape is not accidental. Inside, the egg has no corners, and the wine gently stirs itself: during fermentation warm wine rises along the wall, cools and sinks. The winemaker needs no extra pumps or stirring.
In the tank the lees, the remains of yeast, also circulate on their own. This gives the wine more density and softness, without any oak aroma. Concrete is porous and lets in a little air, like a wooden barrel, but adds no flavour. Sizes vary from a few hundred to a few thousand litres. The tanks stand in the cellar and serve for decades.
The egg is one kind of concrete tank, but a special shape. It is chosen by those who want clean, fresh wine with good structure. White wines and light reds are often made in such tanks. The idea relies on long-known principles: the egg is one of the strongest natural shapes.
How it connects to Wine
🍷 Concrete egg → then → 🍷 Lees → kind of → 🍷 Winemaking → kind of → 🍷 Wine
Links
- Next step
- 🍷 Lees
- Part of
- 🍷 Concrete vat
Frequently asked questions
What is a concrete egg?
An egg-shaped concrete tank used to ferment and age wine.
Why is it egg-shaped?
The shape makes the wine gently stir itself, so no pumps are needed.
How is it different from an oak barrel?
Concrete lets in a little air like wood, but gives the wine no oak flavour.