Formerly the barrels were used to transport wine, in fact, it was served directly from this container that used to be made of different types of wood such as beech, pine, chestnut, ash ... but it was a matter of time and the appearance of the glass bottle, everything changed and barrels became much more than a container.
Nowdays, real importance is given to the quality of the barrel material as it is used for aging, with the aim of obtaining a wine with a more pleasant taste. In fact, the properties of oak wood offer the wine an adequate transfer of tannic components and aromas due to the supply of oxygen that this type of wood let introduce inside through its pores.
If we talk about oak barrels, we can point out that when they are new, less than five years old, that is the intervale when wines achieve the best nuances. Specifically, two types of oak wood are used, the French one and the American one ...
- French oak barrel brings balanced spicy bouquet to the wine.
- American oak barrel is made of a denser and more permeable wood. It contributes to the wine especially with sweet aromas such as vanilla, coconut, cinnamon and cocoa.
Aromas created by the oak wood are directly related to the level of toasting we give to the barrel (temperature and duration). This process determines what properties the barrel will transmite to the wine in aging. In fact, there are different types of toasting levels:
- Light toasting: marked by the aromas of walnut and coconut.
- Medium toasting: nuances of coconut and fresh oak. It has less aromatic impact in relation to light roasting. Gain balance and complexity. The contribution of tannins is lower.
- Strong toasting: loses olfactory intensity. The more intense the roast, the less tannins it will provide.
- Very strong toasting: decrease in aroma. causes great change in composition.
Therefore, toasting proccess will depend on what the winery considers most suitable for its wines. Finally, the goal will always be to obtain the best quality for the wines.