© by Scott Gunerman
One of the most important tools a winemaker has at his/her disposal is an oak barrel. Oak comes from many sources around the world - when transformed into a barrel used for winemaking, it can have a major influence on the final product. Oak barrels come in all shapes and sizes and from many different types of oak trees.
Wooden barrels have been used with wine as early as 900 B.C. - first to transport wine and later to add flavor. Flavors differ among different types of oak due to origin of the wood, construction and aging of the barrel and the amount of toasting [the degree of charring on the wood staves] the barrel receives. Creating a barrel is labor-intensive - barrel makers (known as "coopers") can spend as long as two full days building a single barrel.
The two most common types of oak today are American and French. American oak is less expensive and commonly comes from forests in Missouri, Minnesota, Virginia and Oregon. The typical size for an American oak barrel is 59 to 70 gallons. American oak is known for adding flavors of vanilla, caramel and spice to the wines they come in contact with.
French oak trees, farmed from the central region of France, must be at least 200 years old to be made into barrels. French barrels are also typically made in 59 to 70 gallon sizes and can add notes of butterscotch, smoke and toast to the wine. Although France has been the traditional source of oak barrels, other locations including the former Yugoslavian republics and Slovakia also produce high-quality oak suitable for fine wine.
Oak barrels can last for up to 100 years, however, after just a few years of use their flavors will quickly fade until they are neutral. To give new life to the barrel, shaving and toasting is required. This helps to remove wine and deposits that have built up inside the barrel and to expose "new" surface area to interact and impart flavor to the wine.
Do you like oak in your wine? Here is an inside tip that will help you choose wines to your liking. Next time you're at the store, carefully read the label. Oak barrels are expensive [one brand new 60 gallon French barrel costs approximately $600 and can hold enough wine for 300 standard bottles] and because of that, wineries are very proud of themselves when using oak in their wine. Often they will brag all about their wine and their fancy barrels on the back label, if you care to read it.
Also look for these terms: barrel-aged and barrel-fermented. If a wine is barrel-aged, more than likely the juice was fermented elsewhere and put into oak for the maturation period. If the wine is barrel-fermented, the grape juice turns into wine inside the oak barrel, then also rests there during the maturation period as well. Read this carefully: Wines that are barrel-fermented and barrel-aged will taste less oaky than wines that are only barrel-aged.
Ninety-nine percent of the people who are trying to sell you their over-priced wine (at retail, a tasting room or restaurant) get this fact backwards! Don't believe me? Have some fun - go to the store and ask someone that looks like they know wine and test them, I think you'll be quite surprised at what you hear!
Tasting Notes - hey, give me a break! I'm not Robert Parker Jr.!2000 Tenuta Dell'Ornellaia Poggio alle Gazze Sauvignon Blanc [IGT] - Tuscany, Italy: Pale straw with a glimmer of gold. Nose is a blast of fruit - lemon/lime, citrus and slightly grassy as well. Bold, crisp and intense on the palate. Well balanced wine with a long, juicy finish. Very tasty wine, but, a little pricey for what you get. This wine was scored at 91 points by Wine Spectator and also listed as wine No. 66 in their 2001 Top 100 Wines of the Year issue. Part of the reason for the lofty price tag may be attributed to the estate's recent purchase by the Mondavi's. Sadly, they have decided to rip up the vineyards that produced this wine and replant them with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and other red grape varieties - the 2000 was the final vintage of this wine so you'll have to act quickly to track it down. $24.99 (http://www.zachys.com).
That's it, finally! Thanks for the visit. As always, please feel free to write me at cellarbrat1@yahoo.com with your comments, questions and suggestions. Everyone gets a reply! All feedback is welcomed and appreciated.
See ya next time from the cellar, and remember wine is more fun than you think...
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Volume Two
Number 9
Sept. 30, 2002
