The Art Of Wine Barrel Making: From Forests To Flavor

BY WANDA HAYNES, CERTIFIED SOMMELIER

When it comes to wine, an important fact to keep in mind is that all wines aren’t produced using barrels. However, when using a barrel to produce wine, the use of a high-quality oak barrel is important. Three countries dominate the wine barrel industry.

French Oak

French white oak is considered prized and the best oak to make into barrels. The forests in France are the source of five predominating species of oak trees. Allier Forests is in the center of France and west of Burgundy.

Within Allier is a grouping of French oak trees called Tronçais. They are revered for producing luxury barrels. Northeast of Allier and Tronçaisis Nièvre and this oak helps preserve the freshness and aromatics of white wine. West of Alsace is the Vosges Forest which has been a popular source of oak for 40 years. The wood has a tight structure, and the color is near snow white. Northeast of Bordeaux in western France is where the Limousin Forests are found; this oak is great for aging chardonnay.

American Oak

Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin are known for producing the finest barrels. One oak tree only produces two barrels which holds around 59 gallons of wine.

American Oak imparts flavors of coconut, caramel, and vanilla into the wine. These barrels are popular with winemakers in Spain and Australia. 

Hungarian Oak

Hungarian oak comes from forests in Slovakia, Romania, and Hungary. These barrels offer structure and tannins to wine quicker than French oak. Malbec and cabernet sauvignon are strong enough to hold up to the nutty flavors the wood offers.

After the trees are chopped down, it's time to make the staves which are the curved pieces of wood used to make a wine barrel. Wine barrel staves are stacked outdoors on pallets to dry for two or more years. Every wine barrel has 32 staves carefully arranged in a specific pattern. Each stave varies slightly in width; this process must be performed by a professional.

A person who makes wooden barrels for wine is referred to as a “cooper.” Cooperage is the art of barrel making and is a highly specialized talent. A cooper also uses hoops made of steel and aluminum to produce the wine barrels. These hoops encircle the barrel for stability and longevity. 

What is Toasting?

After a barrel is built, the inside is exposed to fire and this is referred to as "toasting.” This is achieved by using open flames or by using a hand-held torch. The degrees of toasting range from light to heavy and each level determines tastes.

Light Toasting has tastes of vanilla, coconut, caramel, clove, and cinnamon. MediumToasting boasts vanilla, honey, caramel, toast, coffee, and cocoa. Heavy Toasting delivers tastes of vanilla, espresso, smoke, butterscotch, toffee, and molasses. These flavors are imperative to producing a fine bottle of red or white wine.

How long is the life of a wine barrel?

New barrels will continue to give flavor for four years after which they can become “neutral” and no longer impart much tannin or flavor into the wine. Then the barrels are sold to wine producers who chop up the staves and use them in wine production. Some companies use wood pulp to produce wine. These practices give the wine a faded taste and it should be obvious that the wine wasn’t in an actual barrel.

Wanda Haynes is a Sommelier and wine educator living her best life. She loves parties, fine dining, gourmet chocolate, and a great glass of wine.