Why are some wines aged in wood barrels, and what kind of wood is used?
Wood barrels have been around since the Romans. The Celts invented the modern barrel and have used it in winemaking because it imparted a nice character to the wine. Although many kinds of wood have been used through time the most effective wood has been oak. Oak gives the wine a flavor and can greatly improve the taste of wine. It depends on the type of oak, the age of the wood and how long the wine is stored in it. These are all decisions that the winemaker must make. French oak seems to be the oak of choice for most red wine producers. In part is the smoky flavor imparted and also the actual coopering methods used. Many other countries make oak barrels including Yugoslavia, Germany, America, Australia and other Eastern European Oaks.
