Concrete egg winemaking hits Washington

WALLA WALLA, Wash. (AP) - Wineries in Washington have been picking up on the industry's latest fad of using a concrete egg to make wine.

The Union-Bulletin reported Sunday that despite the egg costing around $27,000, more wineries in the area are going the concrete route.

Juan Munoz Oco, head winemaker for Columbia Crest, says he currently uses 16 concrete eggs for his reserve wine program.

One advantage of the eggs is desirable solids in the wine are kept naturally suspended in the juice during fermentation and aging, creating different layers of flavor complexity and mouth feel. Concrete also holds temperatures well, although it isn't as flexible as stainless steel.