🍷 Foudre

A foudre is a huge wooden cask holding several thousand litres. The word is French and means "lightning", but in winemaking it is used for large casks. They are made of oak. A foudre differs from ordinary barrels in size. An ordinary barrel holds about 225 to 300 litres, while a foudre is many times bigger. As a result the ratio of wood surface to wine is small, and the oak gives the wine far less flavour and tannin. The wine breathes slowly and gently through the wood, but the oak smell stays light. Foudres are known in the south of France, in Alsace, in Germany and in Piedmont. They serve for many years, until the walls weaken, and the casks are washed carefully before use. Red and white wines are matured in a foudre when gentle ageing is wanted. A foudre is a kind of oak barrel of a special, large size. It is made by coopers, the barrel makers, and the walls are assembled from staves.