Wine aging techniques: wood, concrete, and terracotta

Wood, concrete and terracotta are used for different maturation requirements. Large 25 hl untoasted French-oak casks serve the Riserva program. Second- or third-use tonneaux of 5.6 or 7 hl are used for Don Tommaso, and second- or third-use barriques for Zac. Reused vessels are chosen to preserve varietal and territorial character rather than emphasize oak-derived flavour.

Fibreglass-lined 150 hl concrete tanks mature Le Corti Chianti Classico. Since 2022, raw-concrete vessels have been used for the final months of Don Tommaso and Zac after their longer maturation in wood and before bottling. Concrete provides controlled micro-oxygenation without materially changing aromatic identity.

Two 750 L Tava terracotta amphorae are used during the final months of maturation for selected biodynamic Sangiovese. Their porosity supplies micro-oxygenation comparable to wood without adding toasted or spicy oak notes.