Notably an important accessory to the process of wine making has been the barrels used to store wine. Barrels have been discovered to play a very important role in wine flavour and wine maturing. Oak is by far the most utilized material in the making of wine barrels today. Even relatively minor factors such as the type of wood used, the extent to which the wood used is toasted and the size of the barrel in which newly made wine is stored deeply influence the result of the final product. There are two choices for winemakers for barrels, new and used, though both have their advantages. This blog navigates the history of the use of wine barrels and its various types and impacts, offering valuable insight for wine connoisseurs and professionals.
Why are wine barrels used to age wine?
In its simplest definition barrel aging refers to the act of placing wine in barrels. Great wines produced in the world today are created by following a traditional or artisan-based production procedure that has the potential to change the nature or quality of the wines.
Just after fermentation but before the wine is bottled, the wine is allowed to age in barrels for better flavour. It takes about 6 to 30 months to complete the entire process. However, white wines take a shorter time of maturation than red wines.
Winemakers often prefer to keep their wines in barrels mainly because it increases the taste, texture and even the quality of the wine. The oxidation process that takes place in escalating wines’ age causes a reaction between wine, air, and the barrel’s wood to occur elaborately.
The wine that is stored in barrels, particularly the barrels that contain oak, numerous flavours of vanilla, caramel, spice, and toast are unfused. Such an interaction occurs between the tannins in the wood and the tannins in the wine which softens the wine and at the same time gives the wine body or texture.
Plans have to be made on which barrels are to be utilized to generate what kind of stylistic impact concerning the ageing of the wine in correlation with the grape kind together with the form of wine.
In the barrel industry, there are different wine barrels for sale that suit the various types of wines.
Factors Impacting the Quality of Wine
Following are a few factors that can impact the quality of the wine:
Barrel toasting
After the construction of an oak barrel, it is first subjected to fire in order to toast it. If a bare minimum of toasting is applied, the flavour profile will lean towards vanilla with some caramel hints. However, with a greater level of toasting, smoky fragrances are achieved.
Barrel size
Specifically, large barrels impact a wine’s flavour less than small barrels do: thus the statement, the larger the barrel the less the wine flavour. A smaller barrel exhibits a larger surface area in relation to the volume displacing more of the wine. This allows it to pick a more intense flavour as a result.
Barrel time
The quality of the wine is also influenced by the time taken for a particular type of wine to be left in a particular barrel for it to be shipped in the market. Hence, based on the time period, the wine is aged in the barrel. The longer period is associated with even stronger undertones of the barrel. This is also influenced by the time taken for the wine to stay in the barrel before it is ready for shipment to the market. In consequence, depending on the duration that the wine remains in the barrel the exaggerated features which are obtained from the barrel become more apparent.
Barrel age
The reusing of a barrel affects the quality of the wine. Due to this, winemakers have to replace the barrel after every three vintages to ensure that the flavour of the wine is not lost. After its tenure, the barrel becomes just a ‘vessel’ for the wine, which is then referred to as neutral oak.
Types of wine ageing barrels
1. Oak barrels: The size causes a major difference in the oaks allowing for a combination of flavours like savoury or sweet spices, toastiness or smokiness, and even vanilla, chocolate, caramel, coconut, toffee, or coffee notes. New small oak barrels give the wine more oak characteristics, but wines stored in used wine barrels made of oak give less of the oak characteristics but help to increase the texture and soften the wine.
Among the signs of oak ageing, the texture of a wine is the most evident one. A full, wide, tender, or nap, could well be due to the kind of oak where a wine was being brewed or matured.
Likewise, oak can convey more specific, ‘difficult’ attributes such as coarse-like, grippy, gritty or mouth-drying impressions. A wine may also seem heavy, with a fat or light quality to it depending on the amount of oaky taste.
Here are a few types of oak barrels commonly used:
- American Oak: The refrigerated stable variant is known to impart even deeper notes like vanilla, coconut, and dill. The wood grain is more open and a little coarser, so it will filter more than the wine.
- French Oak: To this, you need to add more complex and more sophisticated flavours – spices and nuts, for instance. It has a closer grain united and gives insignificant oxygen exposure than the American oak.
- Hungarian and Eastern European Oak: When it comes to ageing wine in oak barrels this is the most preferred one, by winemakers. It is because it brings out a unique taste in the wine, slightly spiced up with natural sugar.
- Hybrid Oak barrels: Another kind of oak barrels that are used in the ageing of wine is hybrid oak barrels.
- Combined Oak barrels: As the name authenticates, it is from different types of oaks. These types of oak barrels make it easier for the winemakers to have a balance in the flavours that are in the wine infused due to the types of oak used in the barrel.
For example: French and American oak.
2. Chestnut Barrels: Makers of wine are not as likely to utilize chestnuts. However, barrels made from them provide a nutty characteristic and the second kind of tannin to the wine.
3. Acacia Barrels: Occasionally employed in white wines, acacia barrels can raise floral and honeyed tones in the wine.
4. Cherry and Other Fruitwood Barrels: Occasionally, these barrels are used and they bring out special fruit character and smoother tannins.
5. Clay Amphorae and Concrete Eggs: Although not proper barrels, these containers may be used for maturation, though they are not the standard barrel type. They enable micro-oxygenation like oak without bringing woody tastes, thus keeping the varietal aromas.
Thus, using different barrels and/or different ageing times could result in a huge variety of flavours and levels of wine complexity.
Conclusion
It is crucial to pay attention to the types of barrels incorporated in wine ageing to better understand the specifics of wine taste and smell. Of all the barrels, American and French oak barrels are the most used, which result in specified flavours because of the differently placed and sourced wood grain. Other types such as chestnut, acacia or fruitwood barrels are used, which are a little different in their effects. Besides, non-wood vessels such as clay vessels, amphorae, and concrete eggs also offer an option for maintaining the fruit’s purity. Barrel selection is one of the more crucial factors that dictate the taste of the wine. So, if you are searching for a barrel that can give you the dreamy wine taste you want, consider Rocky Mountain Barrel Company and make your wine taste just the way you like it.
