The Oak In Winemaking
THE OAK IN WINEMAKING
Oak barrel considers one of the most well-known winemaking tools throughout the world. Anyone who has visited a winery before will have seen filled or empty oak barrels around.
Back in time oak barrel considered one of the easiest transportations and storing tool. Wine was travelling from place to place or from country to country inside those wooden casks.
Nowadays, the oak is one of the best materials for aging different types of wines, improving the mouthfeel and body of the wine, extending its longevity, stabilize the wine and many more.
American Vs European Oak
The choice of the oak influence of course the characteristics of the wine dramatically. The two main sources of oak are the US and Europe. Based on studies, it has been concluded that US oak is more dominant than the European and that it can influence the natural flavors and aromas of the variety. US oak is very famous for the coconut, vanillin and sweet spice characters that gives to the wine, where coconut might be the most obvious and easy to spot.
European oak is sourced from France and Hungary most of the times and considers as finer-grained and less aromatic than the US oak. In European oak earth flavors and spices can be easily spotted where vanilla character considers as the most dominant. In general points though European oak tends to respect more the original characteristics of the grape varieties which later on give to the wine a more balanced and elegant touch.
The Influence in Wine
Oak aging can improve first of all the color of the wine by adding a more deep and rich tone. Rather than that, oak can stabilize the color of a red wine. In terms of the taste, oak imparts complex flavors and aromas to the wine such as caramel, spice, vanilla ant toast notes. In terms of the organoleptic profile of the wine, tannins are becoming smoother from the interaction with the wood tannins and of course from the micro-oxygenation that occurs throughout the whole aging time. This oxygen will break down the big molecules of tannins into smaller ones transforming the organoleptic character of the wine from tannic and aggressive into smoother and more enjoyable.
