🍷 Oak barrel
A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
An oak barrel is a wooden barrel made of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes. Staves are curved planks. They are bound with hoops to form a closed vessel. Barrels are made by a cooper, a barrel craftsman.
Why is wine aged in oak? The wood lets tiny amounts of air through, and the wine slowly changes: the tannins soften and aroma develops. In addition, the oak itself gives the wine flavours of vanilla, spice, toast and coconut. Before assembly the barrel is toasted inside over fire, and the degree of toasting affects the taste.
Two main kinds of oak are used: French and American white oak. French gives a finer taste, American a bolder one. Barrels come in different sizes. In Bordeaux it is the barrique of 225 litres, in Burgundy the pièce. There are also large casks, the foudre and the puncheon. Old barrels give less flavour, new ones more.
Wooden barrels are used for other products too: for example, brynza and feta are matured in them. Ships also once carried barrels.
What it includes
Links
- Previous step
- 🏷️ Aging of wine, 🍷 Sulphur candle (barrel), 🍷 Oak chips, 🍷 Barrels on ships, 🍷 Cooper, 🍷 Tannins
- Next step
- 🏷️ Oak ageing
- Works with
- 🍷 Cooper
- Part of
- 🍷 Wine
- Wine and milk
- 🧀 Bryndza, 🧀 Feta
Frequently asked questions
Why is wine aged in an oak barrel?
The wood lets in a little air, softens tannins and adds aromas of vanilla, spice and toast.
Which oak is used for barrels?
French and American white oak; French gives a finer taste.
Who makes barrels?
A cooper, a craftsman who makes wooden barrels.
Similar
🍷 Concrete vat · 🍷 Wooden vat · 🍷 Bag-in-box · 🍷 Canned wine · 🍷 Demijohn · 🍷 Wine in carton