What happens inside the egg?

the currently prevailing theory holds that the heat of the ferment creates a torus vortex of convection currents (similar to the form of a mushroom cloud) within the egg. This moves the fermenting must or maturing wine around without intervention. Liquid near the surface of the container cools and gently sinks, unimpeded by corners. The liquid in the middle holds its temperature, but is gently pushed upwards. It then comes closer to the container surface, begins to cool and continues the process. The lack of corners in the container mean there are no “dead areas” and so homogeneity within the wine

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Concrete egg

if you love the winemaking traditions of the Caucasus, you might argue that the egg fermenter never left.

Like most questions when it comes to wine, the answer is most likely to be a matter of taste. So comparing the fermentation methods of different wineries is the best way to determine if the egg is worth the squeeze.

However, the answer to one penetrating question is clear. What came first, the barrel or the egg? Clearly the egg.

Concrete helps to understand terroirs

One of his first steps was to replace stainless steel and wood fermentors with large, tulip-shaped concrete vats for all three wines, which are fermented with wild yeasts.

“With two years of aging in barrel,” says Ruini, “I don’t want to add more wood. Concrete is neutral. Steel has a reducing effect on wine—it’s not the best.”