How many producers still mature VP in pipes?

[uncle tom]

The romantic notion of VP's 'two years in wood' conjures up images of the 550 litre pipes stacked in the lodges.

However, I am told that the reality is a little more mundane, and that most VP is now stored in larger vessels of varying sizes.

The reason I ask is that it seems an amusing notion to take a leaf out of the whisky makers book, and arrange a 'single pipe bottling' - after sampling as many as possible first of course..

Such a bottling could be made multi format, so the old chestnut about the maturation speed of different formats could, eventually, be properly tested.

- So I wonder which producers might be in a position to discuss this?

Tom

[DRT]

Tom,

I'm not sure this has ever been true for large producers.

The wine that is used to blend into a VP is aged for 2 years in large oak or steel vats. Once blended it goes straight to bottle.

It is only tawny ports that are aged in pipes as this maximises the wood exposure.

Small producers may well use pipes but I think this will only be driven by very low volumes.

Derek