In preparation for reusing your barrel after. The first growths of Bordeaux and many of the great estates of Burgundy often use brand-new barrels for each vintage, though other winemakers, such as Volnay’s Frédéric Lafarge, avoid it entirely. When filling oak barrels with spirits, fill the oak barrel completely removing all air. The complexities are endless: a tree that grows next to a forest track, for example, will grow at a faster rate and produce wider grained wood than other trees because of its easier access to sunlight.Ī further permutation is the question of what proportion of new oak to use a choice just as decisive for red wine as for white. ‘Allier wood is tighter and contains, for example, more eugenol, which brings the scent of cloves.’ ‘Limousin oak is wide-grained and contains very few aromatic lactones, but a lot of tannin, which extracts rather rapidly,’ explains Camille Gauthier, one of France’s most respected experts on barrel staves. More subtle than the differences between American and French oak are differences between the forests of France. Do hints of vanilla mean American oak? Ask Decanter.The distinctive aromas of vanilla and coconut derived from American oak are commonly encountered in the wines of Rioja and Australia, but find comparatively few admirers elsewhere. In European forests, Quercus sessilis and Quercus robur predominate in North America, it’s Quercus alba, a species with much less soluble tannin than its European siblings, but higher concentrations of aromatic substances – in particular, creamy oak lactones. Counting the grainĮven more fundamental is the choice between European and American oak. By contrast, lighter toast levels bring aromas of vanilla and fresh wood to the fore.Ĭooperage at Louis Jadot, Burgundy. More heavily toasted barrels lend a wine sweetness and amplitude, as well as bringing rich, roasted aromas of coffee and caramel. ![]() One of the defining features of each cooper’s ‘house style’ is its proprietary toasting process, which dramatically alters the wood’s physical and chemical composition. In Napa Valley, Aron Weinkauf of Spottswoode takes a similar approach, drawing on a number of coopers including Darnajou, Nadalié, St Martin, Sylvain, Taransaud and Vicard. ‘You need the blend of multiple signatures, all slightly different, to reach it.’ ‘The magic marriage is usually not achieved with just one cooper,’ said Château Angludet’s winemaker Benjamin Sichel. Some prefer to work with just one cooper, but others work with several – something commonly seen in Bordeaux. Choosing a cooperageĭifferences in coopers’ house styles are a particularly important aspect of barrels, and each winemaker has his or her favourites. September releases 2022: full score tableīuilding barrels at Bodegas López de Heredia, Rioja. ![]()
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