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oak

The preferred wood for making the barrels and casks in which wine is AGED. Oak barrels impart flavors and TANNINS, both of which are desirable for most red wine as well as some white wines. Oak is slightly porous, which creates an environment ideal for aging wines. Redwood and chestnut are distant second choices to oak, and neither do the job as well. Sometimes these woods are used for larger casks because the expense of using oak is a luxury. Despite oak’s unique capabilities, more delicate wines do not do well with oak aging of any length, and some wines can easily become over-oaked. In either case, oak flavors and tannins can overpower a wine’s VARIETAL CHARACTER, which results in a poorly BALANCED wine. Oak is also a matter of personal taste. For instance, some wine lovers prefer big, oaky CHARDONNAYS, while others prefer leaner, cleaner styles where the oak character isn’t so prominent. Choosing the right barrel requires some knowledge of and experience with various types of oak, as well as the COOPERS who make the barrels. The favorite wood for wine barrels is white oak (red oak is too porous), with the U.S. species differing slightly from European. In Europe, the primary sources of oak are France and the former Yugoslavia. The best-known French sources are LIMOUSIN, a forest in south-central France; central France’s forests of Allier, Nevers, and Troncais; and Vosges, a forest in northeastern France. The leading sources of white oak in the United States are Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. There’s a great deal of discussion about how the oak from different locations affects various types of wines. Some believe that Limousin oak, which has a looser grain, imparts more oak flavor, while others say that it delivers less. Most agree that American oak imparts a slightly sweeter character than European oak. However, it’s also argued that the cooper’s barrel-making technique has as much to do with the barrel’s effect on wine as the wood from which it’s made. Barrel making in America (which was primarily for the distilled spirit industry) was much different than that found in Europe. This is now changing, with many European barrel makers opening COOPERAGES in California to handle the expanded demand from California winemakers. Oak barrels lose their ability to impart flavor in 4 to 5 years, and most high-quality wine estates and CHÂTEAUX replace all or part of their oak barrels with new ones each year so a high level of new oak character is imparted to each new VINTAGE.

Related Links: barrel, cask, oaking, aging

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