Why Oak?

Oak and wine are an excellent marriage for many reasons. Firstly, no other wood is able to impart such delicate flavours to wine and draw out its favourable characteristics so well. It is leak-proof which makes it perfect for storage. Also, the oak lets small amounts of oxygen seep through to the wine over the months/years and helps bring the wine harmoniously together. In addition, the barrels allow the wine to age in a somewhat reductive manner. Water and alcohol will eventually evaporate over time through the barrels. Finally, oak imparts certain desirable flavours to wine such as tobacco, leather, spice and vanilla.

French Oak vs. American Oak

The two main types of oak used in winemaking today are French and American. Generally speaking, French oak tends to give a more refined and delicate characteristic to the wine whereas American oak gives the wine much more bold and noticeable oak flavours. The difference lies in the fact that American oak has looser grain than does French oak. The tightness of French oak does not allow the wine as much surface access as does the American.

The Forests of France

There are several forests in France from which the oak for wine barrels is harvested. The oak from each region possesses certain characteristics and flavours that are passed on to the wine.

The following are these main forest regions: Nevers, Limousin, Allier, Voges and Tronçais. With the exception of Voges which is located in the north-eastern part of the country, all of these forests are found the the central region of France.

New and Used

"New Oak Barrels" is a term that you may run across when purchasing wine. New oak barrels will impart the strongest flavours and tannins to the wine. This can be attributed to the fact that the first batch of wine will inevitably draw out most of the tannins and flavour from the wood. Also some wine leaves crystals and residue in the barrels which prevents subsequent wine from having much contact with the wood.

The Making of Barrels

The majority of wine barrels are made either in the US or in France. The oak trees used to make barrels are often around 100 years old. The logs are cut into staves by the barrel maker which is traditionally done by hand. The wood is then dried for several years outdoors. The weathering of the wood removes the harshest tannins and flavours so that the wine is made softer instead of harsher. Once ready, the staves are then assembled by hand and fastened to metal rings which surround the barrel. In order to make the wood more pliable it is heated over a fire. After it has been assembled, the barrel is then "toasted" - a barrel can have either light, medium or heavy toasting. The level of toasting is responsible for a range of different flavours in the resulting wine.

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