Oak (wine)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
(Redirected from
Wine barrel
)
Oak wine barrels

Oak is used in

aging periods, or as free-floating chips or staves added to wine fermented in a vessel like stainless steel. Oak barrels can impart other qualities to wine through evaporation and low level exposure to oxygen.[1]

History

A California Chardonnay that shows on the label that it has been barrel fermented.

In early

millennia, first coming into widespread use during the time of the Roman Empire. In time, winemakers discovered that beyond just storage convenience, wine kept in oak barrels took on properties that improved it by making it softer and, in some cases, better-tasting.[3]

Effects on wine

The effect of oak aging on two Penedès region Cabernet Sauvignon varietals, a two-year-old cosecha (left) and six-year-old crianza (right). As the wine matures, its color shifts from deep purple or crimson to a lighter brick-red, and takes on a more graduated appearance in the glass.

The porous nature of an oak barrel allows evaporation and

tannins.[3]

The chemical properties of oak can have a profound effect on wine.

ellagitannins, are derived from lignin structures in the wood. They help protect the wine from oxidation and reduction.[5]

Oak barrel aging sherry. It has a transparent front in order to show the process inside

Characteristics of white wines fermented in oak include a pale color and extra silky texture. White wines fermented in steel and matured in oak will have a darker coloring due to heavy

mocha and toffee notes in red wine.[7] It is a common misconception that oak imparts butter flavors to wine. The butter flavors come from lactic acid, naturally present in the wine, converted during malolactic fermentation to diacetyl
. This process reverses itself, although the addition of sulfur dioxide prevents this, and the diacetyl remains.

Wines can be

yeast cells present in fermentation interact with and "latch on" to oak components. When dead yeast cells are removed as lees some oak properties go with them.[8]

The length of time a wine spends in the barrel is dependent on the

age their wines up to ten years in American oak to get a desired earthy cedar and herbal character.[8]

Oak types and sources

The Quercus petraea tree responsible for French oak.

The species of oak typically used for American oak production is the Quercus alba which is a white oak species that is characterized by its relatively fast growth, wider grains and lower wood tannins. It is found in most of the Eastern United States as well as Missouri, Minnesota and Wisconsin where many wine barrels are from. In Oregon the Quercus garryana white oak has started to gain usage due to its closer similarities to European oak.

In France, both the Quercus robur (common oak) and Quercus petraea (white oak) are considered apt for wine making; however, the latter is considered far superior for its finer grain and richer contribution of aromatic components like vanillin and its derivates, methyl-octalactone and tannins, as well as phenols and volatile aldehydes. French oak typically comes from one or more primary forests:

Limousin, Nevers, Tronçais and Vosges. The wood from each of these forests has slightly different characteristics. Many winemakers utilize barrels made from different cooperages, regions and degrees of toasting in blending their wines to enhance the complexity of the resulting wine.[9]

The tighter grain of French oak allows for a more gradual integration of flavors in the wine.

Russian Revolution, Quercus petraea oak from Hungary was the most highly sought after wood for French winemaking
. The trees in the Hungarian Zemplén Mountains grow more slowly and smaller in the volcanic soil, creating fine tight grain which sequentially lends itself to a very delicate extraction.

The hemicellulose in the Hungarian oak breaks down more easily, and conveys an exceptional selection of toasted, vanilla, sugary, woody, spicy and caramel-like flavors – imparting these aromas with less intensity, and more slowly than American or French oak.

Many winemakers favor the softer, smoother, creamier texture that Hungarian oak offers their wines. French winemakers preferred to use Hungarian barrels until the early 20th century, then – because of world wars, supply cut – the French wine industry was forced to find its own source in France, similar to the unique quality, legendary Hungarian Zemplén oak.

However, after the fall of the Iron Curtain, the cooperages from France again became major consumers of the exclusive Quercus petraea/Sessile Hungarian Oak trees originating in the Zemplén Mountain Forest.[11]

The Russian oak from the Adygey region along the Black Sea is being explored by French winemakers as a cheaper alternative to French and Hungarian oak.[12] Canadian wineries have been experimenting with the use of Canadian oak, which proponents describe as a middle ground between American and French oak even though it is the same species as American oak.[13]

Oak trees are typically between 80–120 years old prior to harvesting with the ideal conditions being a cool climate in a dense forest region that gives the trees opportunity to mature slowly and develop a tighter grain. Typically one tree can provide enough wood for two 225-litre (59 US gal) barrels. The trees are typically harvested in the winter months when there is less sap in the trunk.[11]

Differences between French and American oak

Bodegas Casajús, in Ribera del Duero

American oak tends to be more intensely flavored than French oak with more sweet and

grain and less watertight nature of French oak obliges coopers
to split the wood along the grain. The wood is then aged or "seasoned" for 24 to 36 months in the open air, in a so-called wood-yard.

Oak seasoning at the Tonelería Nacional wood yard

Even though American coopers may use a kiln-dry method to season the wood, almost all others will season American oak in exactly the same way as French.[11] Open air seasoning has the advantage of leaching undesirable chemical components and bitter tannins, mellowing the oak in a manner that kiln-dry methods are incapable of replicating.[7] Even though sun, rain, and wind may suffice in most cases to season oak, in drier climates coopers - such as Tonelería Nacional - apply up to 2000 mm (80 in) of water a year to their wood stacks in order to facilitate the seasoning process.

Since French oak must be split, only 20 to 25% of the tree can be utilized; American oak may be sawn, which makes it at least twice as economical. Its more pronounced oxidation and a quicker release of aromas help wines to lose their astringency and harshness more quickly, which makes this the wood of choice for shorter maturations - six to ten months. Because of American oak’s modest tannin contribution, the perfect first fill is a wine with abundant tannins and good texture; it allows the fruit to interact harmoniously with the wood, which contributes a wide array of complex aromas and soft, yet very palatable tannins.

French oak, on the other hand, generates silky and transparent tannins, which transmit a sensation of light sweetness combined with fruity flavors that persist in the mouth. Spices and toasted almond are noteworthy, combined with flavors of ripe red fruit in red wines, and notes of peach, exotic fruits and floral aromas like jasmine and rose in whites, depending on the grape variety employed.

Wine barrel

The "red band" on some wine barrels is the residue of spilt red wine. For aesthetics some wineries will paint this center portion of the barrel red for a cleaner look. Rutherford Hill Winery, Napa Valley AVA.

Wine barrels, especially those made of oak, have long been used as containers in which wine is aged. Aging in oak typically imparts desirable vanilla and spice flavors to wine. The size of the barrel plays a large role in determining the effects of oak on the wine by dictating the ratio of surface area to volume of wine with smaller containers having a larger impact. The most common barrels are the Bordeaux style barrel, which holds 225 litres (59 US gal), followed by the Burgundy style barrel, which holds 228 litres (60 US gal). Some New World winemakers are now also using the larger hogshead 300-litre (79 US gal) barrel.[6] Larger barrels are also traditionally used in parts of Italy such as Barolo,[14] as well as the south of France.

New barrels impart more flavors than do previously used barrels. Over time many of the oak properties get "leached" out of the barrel with layers of natural deposits left from the wine building up on the wood to where after 3 to 5

vintages there may be little or no oak flavors imparted on the wine.[4] In addition, oxygen transport through the oak and into the wine, which is required for maturation, becomes severely limited after 3–5 years. The cost of barrels varies due to the supply and demand market economy and can change with different features that a cooperage may offer. As of late 2007 the price for a standard American oak barrel was US$600 to 800, French oak US$1200 and up, and Eastern European US$600.[15] Due to the expense of barrels, several techniques have been devised in an attempt to save money. One is to shave the inside of used barrels and insert new thin inner staves that have been toasted.[16]

Barrel construction

Barrel midway through construction.

Barrels are constructed in

cooperages. The traditional method of European coopers has been to hand-split the oak into staves (or strips) along the grain. After the oak is split, it is allowed to "season" or dry outdoors while exposed to the elements. This process can take anywhere from 10 to 36 months during which time the harshest tannins from the wood are leached out. These tannins are visible as dark gray and black residue left on the ground once the staves are removed. The longer the wood is allowed to season the softer the potential wine stored in the barrels may be but this can add substantially to the cost of the barrel. In some American cooperage the wood is dried in a kiln instead of outdoor seasoning. While this method is much faster, it does not soften the tannins quite as much as outdoor seasoning.[17]

The staves are then heated, traditionally over an open fire, and, when

Barrel alternatives

Oak chips in fermenting Chardonnay.
A Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley labeling itself as "unoaked" to differentiate itself from other oak-influenced Chardonnays.

Although oak

micro-oxygenation have allowed winemakers to better mimic the gentle aeration of oak barrels in stainless steel tanks with oak chips.[19]

Prior to 2006, the practice of using oak chips was outlawed in the

Chateau Giscours, over $13,000 USD for the use of oak chips in their wine.[21]

Other wood types

Weighing a sherry barrel

Throughout history other wood types, including

cherry wood have an off putting smell.[23] Austrian winemakers have a history of using black locust barrels. Historically, chestnut was used by Beaujolais, Italian and Portuguese wine makers.[24] Some Rhône winemakers still use paraffin coated chestnut barrels but the coating minimizes any effect from the wood making its function similar to a neutral concrete vessel. In Chile there are traditions for using barrels made of rauli wood but it is beginning to fall out of favor due to the musky scent it imparts on wine.[25]

See also

References

  1. ^
  2. ^
  3. ^
  4. ^ a b c D. Sogg "White Wines, New Barrels: The taste of new oak gains favor worldwide Archived 2008-11-22 at the Wayback Machine" Wine Spectator July 31, 2001
  5. ^
  6. ^ [1] Archived October 17, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^
  8. ^ D. Sogg "French Barrelmaker Turns to Russian Oak Archived 2008-08-29 at the Wayback Machine" Wine Spectator October 15, 2002
  9. ^ K. Ebjich "Canadian Oak Barrels Get the Nod From Winemakers" Wine Spectator November 11, 2003 Archived October 10, 2004, at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ J Wheaver '[2]" 2006
  11. ^ World Cooperage Product Information Archived August 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^ a b D. Sogg "Oak Flavorings Archived 2004-08-13 at the Wayback Machine" Wine Spectator Sept.20th, 2002
  13. ^
  14. ^ Jancis Robinson (May 4, 2006). "Giant 'teabags' of oak chips now legal in Europe". San Francisco Chronicle.
  15. ^ "Bordeaux Châteaus Fined for Use of Wood Chips". winespectator.com/. Wine Spectator. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  16. ^ J. Ross "Rethinking American vs. French oak" Wines & Vines November 1, 1992 Archived February 13, 2009, at the Wayback Machine

External links