WTF (What the Fermenter!??)

Forget your basic stainless-steel tanks and old-school barrels. Fermentation vessels can be innovative — and beautiful. Here are just a few examples.

A 1,000-litre granite fermenter from Weingut Andreas Schmitges in the Mosel. Photo courtesy of Weingut Schmitges

Concrete-inspired stainless steel egg-shaped tanks by Egginox. Photo courtesy of Egginox

Natural stone fermenter at Castell d’Encus in Costers del Segre, Spain. Photos by Raul Bobet

A barrel bedroom at Quinta da Pachecha in the Douro, Portugal. Photo courtesy of Quinta da Pachecha

A 1,500-litre GalileOak sphere from cooper Seguin Moreau, a legendary cooperage based in Burgundy and Cognac. Photo courtesy of Seguin Moreau

Square whisky barrels at Sweden’s High Coast Distillery. Photo courtesy of High Coast Distillery

DJ Kearney

DJ Kearney is a Vancouver-based wine educator, consultant, speaker, judge and global wine expert. Creator of the New District Wine Club, she is also Terminal City Club’s Director of Wine and Vice-President of CAPS-BC, responsible for the Best Sommelier of BC competition.