Sep 23 2024 4 mins 1
This is the weekly column
Winemakers: To oak or not to oak, that is the question. Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take up oak to craft your wine to shake the spheres of ordinary.
Oak and wine were made for each other. The wood and how it is treated introduces flavors compounds and textures. Oak barrels allow slow oxygenation, which engenders complexity and depth. Malolactic fermentation in oak converts tart malic acid into softer lactic acid, creating a creamier, buttery texture. The winemaker must decide if oak is in the wine’s future. For some whites, the answer is no. For reds, usually yes.
Next decision—which oak to use. There are some 600 species of oak trees. They are divided into two main groups: red oaks and white oaks. In North America alone there are about 90 native species.
American white oak (Quercus alba) has wide grain and high levels of lactones, delivering flavors of vanilla, coconut, marshmallow, volume, creaminess, and sweetness. It usually receives a medium toast (flame treatment inside the barrel). It often is used for bold wines—cabernet sauvignon and petite sirah—because its robust flavors and higher oxygen ingress complement such wines.
European white oak (Quercus petraea) has finer grains. It has a more subtle influence on wine than American oak and imparts elegant flavors of vanilla and spice, and thus is preferred for lighter wines—pinot noir and chardonnay. The tight grains also mean a more measured integration of flavors, often preferred for premium wines. At medium toast, French oak imparts notes of coffee, chocolate, leather, and mushrooms. Wine must spend more time in French oak than American oak to attain these flavors.
Eastern European oak, particularly from Slovakia, Hungry, and Romania, are similar to French oak. They can be more subtle than French oak and provide more delicate flavors.
Bourbon barrels are another category, pioneered in the 20th century by Chilean mega-maker Concho y Toro with its American label, 1000 Stories. It involves using American oak, blackened and heavily charred to make bourbon and whiskey in first use. In second use with wine, the barrels deliver caramel, burnt sugar, dried herbs, coffee, and vanilla. Wine finished in bourbon barrels are only part of a blend—around five percent—but add smoothness and another layer of flavors with hint of its bourbon back story. They also are a booming category in wine because they are smooth and delicious. Wood you not be interested in trying this category?
Last round
I only know 25 letters in the alphabet. I don’t know Y. Wine time.
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