On Jul 28, 5:42*am, Emery Davis > wrote:

>
> Well I guess it worked in the sense that the wine was in no way oxidized
> or madierized.
>

(Sorry if this is a duplicate post. It didn't show up on google when I
posted yesterday.)
Fermentation in open containers is not new or unusual, although the
use of open-topped barriques is somewhat of a trend lately. It is the
"37 months in open topped barrels" part that makes me think you may
have misunderstood what was happening in the Clos des Cimes cellar.
Fermentation is usually complete in a matter of weeks, after which no
CO2 is produced to provide protection from oxidation or microbial
spoilage. A video on the CdC website <http://start1g.ovh.net/~closdesc/
blog/?p=62> shows Elodie Aubert (I presume) punching down the must --
fermenting fruit -- but it is clearly not yet wine.

Andy