Stay Current With Our Latest Updates!

Welcome to The Oak Scoop newsletter. This newsletter is all about informing our customers about company updates, special events & promotions, product launches, employee spotlights, and more!

In this January edition of The Oak Scoop, we’re sharing a look ahead to our upcoming attendance at the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium, kicking off the new year with a message from our team, exploring insights on wine health and industry trends, recognizing our Employee of the Year, offering an operations outlook for the year ahead, sharing a helpful winemaking tip, and highlighting this month’s featured blog.

The Unified Wine & Grape Symposium is almost here! Later this month, our team will be hitting the road and taking our expertise with us to Sacramento, California! As one of the most influential gatherings in the wine industry, the Unified Show brings together winemakers, growers, researchers, and suppliers from across the country.

Our goal in attending is to stay closely connected to the industry—learning from educational sessions, exploring new research, and engaging in conversations around winemaking trends, oak innovation, and operational efficiency. Events like Unified play an important role in helping us better understand the evolving needs of winemakers so we can continue improving our products and support.

If you’ll be attending Unified this year, we’d love to connect with you and help with any oaking needs for your wine. The show will be on January 27th-29th, and OCI will be located in booth #1214. We hope to see you there!

As we enter a new year, we want to take a moment to thank our customers, partners, and supporters. Your trust in our products and team continues to drive everything we do.

January is a time for fresh starts, new batches, and refining processes—and we’re excited to continue supporting your winemaking goals in 2026 and beyond. Here’s to another year of learning, innovation, and great wine!

Oak aging does more than enhance flavor—it can also influence how wine is experienced by the consumer. Through controlled oak contact, sharper phenolic compounds in young wines can soften and integrate over time, resulting in smoother mouthfeel and reduced astringency.

This natural moderation often leads to wines that feel more balanced and easier to enjoy, particularly for those sensitive to harsh tannins or acidity. By encouraging integration during aging, oak can also reduce the need for heavy corrective adjustments later in the process, aligning with a more natural, thoughtful approach to winemaking.

As the industry enters the new year, many wineries are approaching 2026 with a more measured, strategic mindset. Rising production costs, shifting consumer preferences, and tighter margins are encouraging producers to focus on efficiency, flexibility, and smarter purchasing decisions rather than large capital investments.

One trend we’re seeing is increased interest in modular solutions—products and processes that allow winemakers to adjust batch size, aging time, and flavor direction without committing to long-term infrastructure. This approach helps producers remain agile while still maintaining quality and consistency.

At the same time, there is a continued emphasis on education and experimentation. Winemakers are taking a closer look at how small changes—whether in oak format, contact time, or process refinement—can create meaningful improvements in the final product. This practical, results-driven mindset is shaping how producers plan and execute their winemaking strategies moving forward.

This month, we’re proud to recognize Brandon Haas, our Marketing Manager, as OCI’s Employee of the Year.

Brandon plays a key role in shaping how Oak Chips Inc. connects with customers—from website development and SEO to content creation, email marketing, and digital strategy. His dedication to learning the industry, understanding our products inside and out, and communicating their value has helped strengthen OCI’s brand presence across multiple channels.

Beyond marketing, Brandon works closely with leadership to align strategy, support sales initiatives, and continuously improve how OCI shows up in the marketplace.

Congratulations, Brandon, and thank you for your commitment to the company’s growth!

As we move into the new year, our focus remains on building a strong foundation for the future. Looking ahead to 2026, Oak Chips Inc. aims to continue refining operations, expanding product education, and improving accessibility for customers at every level—from home winemakers to commercial producers.

Our goals include strengthening supply consistency, enhancing internal processes, expanding educational resources, and continuing to develop products that meet evolving industry needs. By focusing on efficiency, quality, and customer support, we’re positioning OCI for long-term, sustainable growth.

January is an ideal time to experiment. When testing new oak products or toast profiles, start with small, controlled trials and taste frequently.

Incremental adjustments help you understand how oak interacts with your wine over time—and prevent over-extraction early in the process.

January’s featured blog tackles an important oak decision: small grade vs. large grade oak chips. We explore how each chip size affects flavor intensity, aging timelines, and control during oak contact—giving winemakers practical insight into selecting the best option for their next batch.

Read the full blog on our website to dive deeper into the differences between the oak wood grades and learn which is right for you!

As we begin the new year, we’re excited about what lies ahead for both our customers and Oak Chips Inc. From staying connected at industry events like the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium to continuing product education and operational improvements, our focus remains on helping winemakers succeed at every stage of the process.

Thank you for being part of the OCI community. We look forward to supporting your goals throughout the year and sharing more insights, updates, and innovations in the months to come!

If you missed last month’s edition of The Oak Scoop, click here to catch up.