NAPA, Calif. (May 4, 2012) – Oak Solutions Group is pleased to announce an update to its leadership team: Kyle Sullivan, former Assistant Director, has been promoted to Director of Sales.

This announcement follows on the company’s decision to create a new Product Innovation Division led by Ed Larmie, who served as Director of Sales for Oak Solutions Group since the company’s inception.

“We’d like to extend our warm congratulations to Kyle,” said Brad Boswell, president and fourth-generation cooper. “He has been a valuable team member since joining our company in 2008 and has worked closely with Ed over the last several years.  OSG looks forward to continuing our relationships with the winemakers we serve under Kyle’s leadership.”  

Sullivan was promoted to Assistant Director in 2011 and began managing the company’s sales teams in South America and Spain.  He has also served as global brand manager for trū/tan, the company’s line of enological tannins. Prior to joining Oak Solutions Group, Sullivan worked in the wine industry for ten years.

Oak Solutions Group is a premium oak products company focused on providing expert advice and unparalleled selection. Oak Solutions Group distributes two innovative product lines: ēvOAK forward thinking oak products and trū/tan innovative oak tannins.

NAPA, Calif. (April 24, 2012) – To fortify their position as the industry’s innovation leaders, Cooperages 1912 and Oak Solutions Group are pleased to introduce their new Product Innovation Division.  This division will focus exclusively on the development and refinement of oak barrels, oak alternatives and enological tannins.

“Innovation has always been a core value in our family business,” said Brad Boswell, president and fourth-generation cooper.  “This is a brand new division whose sole function is to create, think outside the box, listen to what customers need, and then develop new products that push our industry forward.”

The Product Innovation Division will work closely with the company’s Engineering team and Research & Development Division, which have been in place for many years.

Ed Larmie, who has served as Director of Sales for Oak Solutions Group since the company’s inception, is taking on a new role as Director of Product Innovation. 

“For years, Ed has been actively involved in product development for our organization thanks to his expertise, practical approach and creativity,” said Boswell. “Ed is the perfect person to head up this new division.”

Larmie will direct a full-time staff and oversee the company’s new winery and laboratory dedicated to small-scale experiments and bench trials. 

Cooperages 1912 and Oak Solutions Group offer premium wine barrels, oak alternatives and enological tannins to winemakers throughout the world.  Founded four generations ago by the Boswell Family, parent company Independent Stave Company is now celebrating its 100 year anniversary in 2012.  

NAPA, Calif. (March 14, 2012) – Oak Solutions Group has launched the third edition to its Cuvée tank stave series: Cuvée No. 3 Espresso Toast. This new tank stave exhibits distinct espresso character thanks to an innovative stave contour that toasts differently than the traditional stave shape.

“Instead of having a smooth surface, Cuvée No. 3 Espresso Toast tank staves are planed to have a rippled silhouette,” explained Kyle Sullivan, assistant director. “The resulting ridges toast more quickly than the grooved portion of each stave and also radiate heat deeper into the underlying layers of oak.”

When combined with infrared toasting technology, this creates a complex gradient of dark roasted flavors. As a result, Cuvée No. 3 is characterized as an opulent flavor blend, including concentrated notes of coffee and bittersweet chocolate.

“Just as the Italian masters have perfected the espresso roast, carefully orchestrating a delicate balance of concentrated flavors, Cuvée No. 3 imparts a rich blend of flavors across the toast gradient,” said Sullivan. “The balance of roasted flavors makes this tank stave an excellent choice for a variety of wine styles and varietals.”

Oak Solutions Group is a premium oak products company focused on providing expert advice and unparalleled selection. Oak Solutions Group distributes two innovative product lines: ēvOAK forward thinking oak products and trū/tan innovative oak tannins.

NAPA, Calif.  – Oak Solutions Group has launched Next Generation, a new line of oak chips debuted at the 2011 Unified Wine & Grape  Symposium.

“Through 25 years of crafting alternatives and a commitment to serving as a leader in our industry, we have created the next generation,” said  Ed Larmie, director. “We combined what we’ve learned through trials, science and technology to forge a new frontier".

Next Generation oak chips are the latest release from the forward-thinking ēvOAK product line. As part of the development process, Oak Solutions Group’s research team identified three primary factors that influence what an oak alternative can do for wine: intensity (overall oak impact), mouthfeel (the perception of weight on the palate) and structure (length on the palate, framework of the wine).

Next Generation oak chips were then developed to represent ideal combinations of these three attributes while capitalizing on the unique  properties of French and American oak.

“For years, many have defined the anticipated flavor of oak alternatives by the color derived during the toasting process,” explains David Llodrá, research and development director. “However, it’s been proven that color chemistry is not directly linked to flavor. While ‘medium toast’ and ‘high toast’ descriptors do help distinguish between products, Next Generation chips are defined by a new way of thinking – the true impact of a product on wine.”

Next Generation chips also benefit from new advancements in toasting technology.

“We developed a new process and corresponding technology that can change temperature quickly and more accurately,” said Llodrá. “This creates unique flavors through precise manipulation of French and American oak’s many attributes”.

Next Generation offers four variations (NG.354A, NG.455A, NG466F and NG567F), allowing winemakers to select the best match for each wine.

“We launched Next Generation at Unified, and the response was immediate,” said Larmie. “We look forward to continuing to respond to the widespread interest in these products, including demand for bench trial sample kits.”

Oak Solutions Group is a premium oak products company focused on providing expert advice and unparalleled selection. Oak Solutions Group distributes two innovative product lines, ēvOAK, forward thinking oak products and trū/tan, innovative oak tannins.

Teri Smith, Marketing Director                                                          Ed Larmie, Director, Oak Solutions Group
Office: 573-442-4660                                                                         Office: 573-442-3465
Cell: 573-424-8896                                                                            Cell: 707-696-8106
teri.smith@independentstavecompany.com                                Ed.Larmie@oaksolutionsgroup.com

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Stop by to discuss the many product options, created to eliminate guesswork while offering the precise flavors winemakers are looking for.  NEW this year: Next Generation oak chips,the next step in a lineage of forward-thinking oak alternatives.

After 10 years of research into one of the most complex areas of chemistry, Oak Solutions Group launched this line of gallo and ellagic-tannins. Blends are created using oak directly sourced from the same premium forest regions as fine French oak barrels. All trū/tan blends are pure, 100 percent natural, in conformity with the Enological Codex and dissolve easily.

What can I say about tru/tan? It’s the cool product with the unusual name. Once again the Oak Solutions Group has put out an interesting oak alternative.

There are already a number of tannin products on the market. The tru/tan product line itself offers a winemaker three different tannin blends of gallotannins and ellagic tannins. The exact ratios are considered trade secrets, so I don’t know what, compositionally, differentiates the individual blends. One blend called “Fermentation Finishing” or “f2” is positioned for use during fermentation and finishing; one blend called “Vinification Formula” or “vf” is for aging; and one blend called “Reserve Formula” or “rf” is for aging and finishing.

What’s Cool: What I like about these tannin blends is their differences. They provide a winemaker with a few more options.

For more information: contact Oak Solutions Group, 707-259-4988, www.oaksolutionsgroup.com.