Updated December 2020
Are barrels necessary to make good wine?
Barrels may seem like an obvious choice in wine production. However, in ancient times, wine was matured in pottery vessels like amphora. It wasn’t until the Imperial Roman era where oak cooperages came onto the scene. The Romans discovered that wine stored in Oak tasted better and didn’t leak, making them a superior aging vessel.
Since then, oak barrels have moved in and out of vogue, following trends of consumer taste and new technology innovations. You’ll find most high-end wineries use French Oak for the maturation of their red wines and perhaps fermentation and/or maturation of whites. So does that make barrels a necessity when producing premium wine? It depends.
Which varietals work best with oak barrels.
Oak is not a necessity for super premium wines, though it can be integral as well. It all boils down what varietals the winemaker is working with and the style they are aiming for. For a zippy New Zealand style Sauvignon Blanc or a diesel-fueled German Riesling, you wouldn’t want oak anywhere near them.
But for most reds, when trying to mellow out tannins or bring some subtle oxidative, woody, spice aromas into the mix, then using oak barrels are a no brainer.
Are oak chips effective?
For most premium reds, I believe oak is an integral part of the flavor. There are a lot of substitutes on the market such as oak chips, powders, staves, inserts and oak balls.; this is because Oak Barrels are expensive. New French Oak barrels from the best cooperages will start at $1500 per 225 L barrel. American oak is less expensive. Roughly 300 bottles of wine can fit into a barrel.
So what about these adjuncts like oak chips? They are fine if the budget does not allow for actual European or American oak barrels. However, what you save in costs, you will sacrifice in overall quality.
Why is French Oak more expensive than American Oak?
Quercus Alba (American oak) lends around 40% of the phenolics vs the European varietals. This means you’ll provide your wine with greater tannin structure by aging in French oak versus American. On the scale of tannin extraction, French Oak is typically medium while other European Oak species like Limousin will provide higher tannins.
There are also more favorable, subtle aromatic differences. American Oak has been compared to garlic, with overpowering strong flavors like vanilla or coconut (French will give off subtle notes of spice and silk). Finally, French oak has the Prestige factor, which can play into the winemaker’s marketing.
But not everyone is a fan. Spanish producers in Rioja actually prefer American oak, as their Tempranillo wines tend to be tannic enough as is!
Conclusion
We enjoy many wines that never touch oak. We adore many wines that were aged and/or fermented in barrels. Barrels themselves are not integral to winemaking–they are a stylistic preference that entirely depends on the winemaker.
