The
Easy Way to Learn Wine Tasting
Many
winemakers choose to ferment their wine in oak as oak barrels tend
to soften the wine and impart characteristics that improve the flavor
of the wine. The oak wood used for these barrels is mainly derived
from France and the United States although there are many countries
from which oak barrels come including Spain, Hungry, Austria, and
many more. American oak passes on prominent characteristics to the
wine, while French oak tends to lend more subdued characteristics.
Each type of oak imparts notes of vanilla, caramel, cream,
clove, smoke, and fresh cracked black pepper. Another important
trait passed over from the oak is the tannin found in the wood –
tannins from American oak are sharp while French oak provides more
subtle tannins.
Some other differences
to note are that American oak tends to be more intensely flavored
then French oak with more sweet and vanilla overtones due to the
American oak having two to four times as many lactones. Winemakers
that prefer American oak typically use them for bold, powerful reds
or warm climate Chardonnays. Besides being derived from different
species, a major difference between American and French comes from
the preparation of the oak. The tighter grain and less watertight
nature of French oak encourages coopers to split the wood along
the grain rather than saw. French oak is then traditionally aged
or "seasoned" for at least two years whereas American
coopers will often use a kiln-dry method to season the wood. Long
periods of outdoor season has a mellowing effect on the oak that
kiln-dry methods have difficulties replicating. The sawing, rather
than splitting, of American oak also enhances the differences between
the two styles due to the rupture of the xylem cells in the wood
which releases many of the vanillin aromatics and lactones responsible
for characteristics like the coconut notes.
The length of
time that a wine spends in the barrel is dependent on the varietal
and style of wine that the winemaker wishes to make. The majority
of oak flavoring is imparted in the first few months that the wine
is in contact with oak but a longer term exposure can effect the
wine through the light aeration that the barrel allows which helps
to precipitate the phenolic compounds and quickens the aging process
of the wine. New World Pinot noir may spend less then a year in
oak. Premium Cabernet Sauvignon maybe spend two years. The very
tannic Nebbiolo grape may spend four or more years in oak. High
end Rioja producers will sometimes age their wines up to ten years
in American oak to get a desired earthy, vanilla character.
These may not
seem like important factors at first, but as you explore the world
of wine you’ll begin to notice subtle differences. California
Chardonnays are often aged in toasted oak for a long period of time,
which imparts the intense vanilla flavor that many have grown to
love. But the fruit flavor drops off almost as soon as the wine
is swallowed, a problem which many call “overoaking”
a wine. Meanwhile, Chardonnay wines from Chablis in Burgundy have
subtle vanilla flavors from shorter barrel storage, which allows
the wine a crisp finish with fruit flavors that linger in the back
of the throat long after being swallowed.
White
wines that are fermented in oak often have a pale color with an
extra silky texture. White wines that are fermented in steel and
then matured in oak will have a darker coloring due to the heavy
phenolic compounds that are still present. Flavor notes that are
common descriptions of wines exposed to oak include caramel,
cream, smoke, spice and vanilla. Chardonnay is a variety
that has very distinct flavor profiles when fermented in oak that
include coconut, cinnamon and cloves notes. The
"toastiness" of the barrel can bring out varying degrees
of mocha and toffee notes in red wine.
While oak aging
is time honored and respected some wine lovers prefer wines that
are fermented in steel barrels. These wines often have a more fruit-forward
flavor and can be more true to the actual grape flavor. In these
wines, we may feel slighted by the minimized tannins and lack of
barrel spices, but these wines exude a more true expression of the
grape. Oak aging can be seen as a more old world practice while
steel aging will tend to be seen more in the new world as in New
Zealand and Australia. One is not necessarily better than other.
It is all a matter of preference. If you prefer a little more complexity
and like more tannic wines go for an old world wine that is oak
aged. If you like a more fruit forward wine then stick to a steel
aged wine from South America or New Zealand.
Learn More about Wine Tasting
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