Winemaking Supplies: Oak Extract for Wineries
Soluble Oak is a liquid oak extract (Soluble Oak) designed for commercial and craft winemaking. It is added directly to wine after fermentation and final filtration, giving winemakers precise control over oak character without the equipment, handling or extended aging associated with traditional wood formats.
This page explains how Soluble Oak works as an oak alternative, how to determine the amount required and how to evaluate its cost alongside a traditional barrel program.
What You Need to Oak Wine Without a Barrel
Traditional oak formats such as chips, cubes, spirals and staves must be placed in the wine, monitored and eventually removed. Depending on the format, additional handling, filtration or racking may also be required.
Soluble Oak eliminates the need for those steps.
The liquid oak extract (Soluble Oak) is measured and added directly to the wine. It disperses throughout the batch without an infusion bag, mesh sleeve, suspension system or retrieval step.
For wineries managing limited cellar space, tight production schedules or many individual lots, that simplicity can matter.
More importantly, direct dosing gives the winemaker control over the final oak profile. Start with a measured dose, taste, and adjust until the wine reaches the desired level of oak character.
Sizing an Order
Soluble Oak is available in formats for trials, small-batch production and commercial winemaking.
A five-gallon dosing kit is intended for trials, bench work and smaller batches. One-liter and five-liter formats are suited to production use, including larger commercial volumes.
Most wineries should begin with a trial on an individual batch. Establish the appropriate dose first, then scale that dosage to production volume.
For current product options and pricing, see Purchase or use our Price-to-Dose Guide.
How Much Oak Extract (Soluble Oak) Do You Need?
The appropriate dosage depends on the wine, the desired oak profile and any oak character already present from barrels or other additions.
There is no single dosage for every wine. The most reliable approach is to begin with a measured starting dose, taste the wine and adjust until the desired balance is reached.
Starting below the desired endpoint gives the winemaker room to build oak character gradually and precisely.
See our Suggested Starting Doses,How to Dose and Choosing the Right Oak guides.
Supplying Commercial Wineries
Soluble Oak is designed to scale from craft and small-batch production to commercial winery operations. Because it is added directly to wine, it can fit into an existing production process without new oak-handling equipment or a dedicated barrel-aging program.
For commercial wineries, this provides flexibility in how and when oak is introduced. Soluble Oak can be added after fermentation and final filtration, allowing winemakers to make precise adjustments closer to the finished wine.
Soluble Oak is FDA registered, environmentally certified and made in the United States. We operate as a Social Purpose Corporation, and our extraction process uses oak approximately 80% more efficiently than traditional barrel aging.
Learn more about our approach to Sustainable Oak.
For production-volume requirements or supply questions, contact us.
Cost Compared With a Barrel Program
The cost of a barrel is more than its purchase price.
A barrel program ties up wine and cellar space during extended aging and involves handling, cleaning, topping, monitoring, movement and evaporation losses. As barrels are reused, their oak contribution typically declines, eventually requiring replacement even when the barrel remains structurally sound.
Soluble Oak has a different cost structure. It is a measured production input used according to the amount of oak character required for a particular batch.
The useful comparison is therefore not simply the price of an extract against the purchase price of a barrel. It is the total cost of achieving the desired oak character in the finished wine, including time, cellar space, handling, evaporation and barrel replacement.
There is also an important process difference. Barrels provide gradual oxygen ingress through the wood, contributing to oxidative development during aging. Soluble Oak is an oak product, not an oxygen-management system. If controlled oxidative development is important to the wine program, that consideration should be evaluated separately.
Learn more in our Oak Alternatives Guide.
Getting More From Barrels You Already Own
Soluble Oak does not have to replace an existing barrel program.
Wineries can use barrels for the characteristics they provide and then use Soluble Oak to supplement or fine-tune oak character later in the process.
As barrels are reused, their oak contribution diminishes. When a barrel remains structurally sound but no longer provides the desired level of oak character, Soluble Oak can restore or enhance the oak profile without immediately replacing the barrel.
This can extend the useful life of existing barrels while giving the winemaker greater control over the finished wine.
Storage and Handling
Store Soluble Oak according to the instructions on the product label.
For current information about shelf life, storage conditions and handling after opening, refer to the product documentation for your specific format or contact us.
Frequently Asked Questions
Soluble Oak requires the product and a method for accurately measuring the desired dose. Unlike chips, cubes, spirals and other solid oak formats, there is no infusion bag, mesh sleeve, suspension system, retrieval step or additional filtration required to remove the oak.
The appropriate dose depends on the wine, the desired oak profile and any oak influence already present from barrels or other additions. Begin with a measured starting dose, taste the wine and adjust as needed. Our Suggested Starting Doses and Dosing Guide provide additional guidance.
Soluble Oak is available in formats for trials, small-batch production and commercial winery use, including five-gallon dosing kits and one- and five-liter production formats. See our current product options and pricing.
Yes. Soluble Oak is designed to scale from craft and small-batch production through commercial winery operations. Because it is added directly to wine, it can be incorporated into an existing process without a new barrel program or specialized oak-handling equipment.
Barrels involve more than the initial purchase price. A barrel program also requires cellar space, ties up wine during aging, involves handling and maintenance, produces evaporation losses and provides progressively less oak character as the barrel is reused. Soluble Oak is a measured production input, so the more useful comparison is the total cost of achieving the desired oak character in the finished wine.
Store Soluble Oak according to the product label. Shelf life and handling requirements can vary by product. Contact us for current guidance for your specific product.
Start With a Trial
The simplest way to evaluate Soluble Oak is to start with a trial batch, establish the appropriate dosage for your wine and then scale that dosage to production.
Start with a trial batch: see options and pricing, work out your cost per dose, or talk to us about production volumes.