Oak is one of wine-making’s necessary luxuries. If you’ve ever walked through a wine cellar, it is easy to assume barrels come in one standard size and type, and that aging wine requires little more that acquiring enough barrels to house what you have, stacking them up, and largely forgetting about them for a while. The truth of it, though, is that oak (or lack of it), and it’s effects on a given wine is a very large part of what would be described as a “winemaker’s style.” Whether it be new or neutral; French, American or Hungarian; standard barrique, puncheon or butt – yes “butt” is an actual measurement, ergo a “buttload” of wine would make for a pretty fun party, but that is another story – or whether it’s sticks, staves or powder and not a barrel at all – it is a large part of the experience of how we’ve all come to expect wine (red wine in particular) to taste. When the nuanced characteristics of the right oak are paired with the right wine, the results are nothing short of fantastic.
You may think, “Well, oak is oak. What’s the difference?”
We were recently lucky enough to explore this question in our own cellar when we compared different wines aged in different barrels from one of our favorite coopers, Nadalie, along with cooperage expert and Nadalie’s own, Emmanuel Mathe. Does oak from Missouri taste different than Pennsylvania? And do both of those taste different than a premier French or Hungarian barrel?
Short answer – absolutely! Forest location, tightness of grain, amount and time of toast on the wood, and the wine they have been paired with all impart different characteristics over time.
So next time you are visiting a winery and notice hints of coffee, smoke, vanilla, clove, cinnamon or pepper, keep in mind that those types of flavors largely come from oak. Ask what type of barrels the wine has been aged in and what percentage of each is new. Perhaps you’ll soon be able to identify barrels without even asking, and, most importantly, hone in on what you will enjoy most!
Cheers!
Lisa
