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US 6,378,419 B1Granted
Maturation process for wines
OwnerBryce A. Eckleininventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A superior device for maturing wine which utilizes one or more cored oak slabs inserted into airtight containers of various volumes and materials whereby controlled oxidation of the wine may occur through the oak without prospect of air contamination or excessive loss of wine volume. The disclosure describes application to volumes ranging from 5 gallons to 5000 gallons (and more) and to vessels made of food grade plastic, stainless steel or white oak.
Claims4
A device for maturing wine under controlled oxidation in the presence of oak, comprising:
- (a) one or more cored oak slab elements where each said cored oak slab has a plurality of continuous internal air passages that are connected together by an oak cap containing an internal, cross-connecting air channel and where each said cored oak slab has an air intake port, an air exit port and,
- (b) a containment vessel into which said cored oak slabs are placed, which is air tight, of food grade material, possesses an airtight operable lid of sufficient dimension to allow insertion and removal of said cored oak slabs from said containment vessel and an air intake port and an air exit port and,
- (c) food grade neoprene connectors linking said air intake and exit ports in said cored oak slabs with said air intake and exit ports in said containment vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.