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Oak Barrels
When you think of wine, the image that comes to mind is often a room full of oak barrels. Oak barrels are undoubtedly the most popular type of barrel for aging wine, as they can soften bitterness and impart desirable flavors to wine during the aging process. However, oak barrels are not all alike. American and French oak barrels serve different purposes.
- American Oak: American oak has a wider grain than French oak, so the wines produced tend to be sweeter, with notes of vanilla, dill, and coconut. The range is quite wide. Sweet spice notes are also prevalent in wines aged in American oak.
- French Oak: French wines exude a refined presence. Its flavors tend to be less intense but lean toward salty notes of dark chocolate, coffee, and spices.
- Certain types of wine age better in specific types of oak barrels, while others age equally well in both. Cabernet Sauvignon prefers French oak barrels, while Zinfandel is more suited to American oak barrels, but Syrah ages well in both.
Other barrels
- Acacia barrels: Acacia barrels can be divided into different types, depending on the degree of toasting: barrels with medium toasting are used for aging red or white wines, while untoasted acacia barrels are used only for aging white wines.
- Cherry barrels: Like acacia, cherry barrels also come in two types (medium toasted and untoasted), although both can be used for making white or red wines. The main difference is the aroma: if the barrels are toasted, the wine will have fruity aromas, but with a distinctive “toasted” taste that completely marks the wine. If the barrels are untoasted, we smell aromas of red fruits, including cherries.
- Pine barrels: This wood is also used in winemaking barrels in the Canary Islands. Wines aged in such barrels are called “vinos al tea”, with some aromas reminiscent of pine sap.
Stainless Steel Barrels
In addition to oak barrels, stainless steel barrels are also a common choice in winemaking, especially in the modern winemaking industry. Stainless steel barrels are becoming increasingly popular, especially for wine varieties that cannot benefit from other barrels. White wines do not contain bitter tannins, so they age better in steel barrels rather than wooden barrels. Riesling and Pinot Gris are excellent choices for stainless steel-aged wines, which allow them to shine without being affected by the outside world.
Advantages:
- Inert material: Stainless steel barrels have no effect on the wine and will not add any flavor or smell, so the original aroma and taste of the wine are preserved.
- Easy to clean and disinfect: The surface of stainless steel is smooth and not easy to attach to microorganisms. It is easy to clean and disinfect, which helps to ensure the hygiene and quality of winemaking.
- Control fermentation temperature: Stainless steel barrels have good heat conductivity, which makes it easier to control the temperature during fermentation and ensure the stability and consistency of the wine.
- Affordable: Stainless steel barrels are usually more economical than wooden barrels, especially suitable for large-scale winemaking and situations where a large number of containers are required.
- Maintain the purity of the wine: Stainless steel will not react chemically with the wine, and can effectively maintain the purity and stability of the wine.
Uses of barrels
Used for aging wine, whiskey, brandy, rum, beer, Tabasco sauce, or balsamic vinegar (in small quantities). When wine or other spirits age in wooden barrels, oxidation is promoted. When water or alcohol is lost through evaporation, small amounts of oxygen are introduced into the barrel.
Spirits aged in wooden barrels absorb compounds such as vanillin and wood tannins present in the barrel wood. The presence of these chemicals depends on many factors, such as their origin, how the barrel staves are cut and dried, and the degree of toasting during the manufacturing process. The wood used to make wine barrels usually comes from French or American oak, but chestnut and redwood are also used.
How to choose the most suitable barrel?
Type of wine
- Wine: For wine, oak barrels are usually used to provide complex aromas and tastes. French oak barrels and American oak barrels will bring different characteristics to the wine. French oak is usually more delicate, while American oak has stronger vanilla and coconut flavors.
- Beer: Beer is usually brewed in stainless steel barrels or oak barrels, depending on the desired taste and fermentation characteristics.
Required flavor and characteristics
Different types of barrels will release different aromas, such as vanilla, nuts, baking, or spices. The degree of toasting (light, medium, heavy) of the barrel will also affect the flavor of the final wine. Oak barrels will affect the taste of the wine through micro-oxygenation, making it more rounded and balanced.