08/08/06 Oak Barrels & Flavor Pt 1

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran and on today's program we will begin a two part series discussing oak barrels and the flavors and aromas they impart to wine. Nearly everyone hears about wine and oak barrels however, I have come to find that very few people really understand the characteristics imparted by the barrels. In general oak will enhance the structure of a red wine and add a bit of spice and sweet vanilla to the nose. If a white wine is barrel fermented and aged it will also have those vanilla and spice qualities along with some nutty and buttery charcteristics. Most noticeably barrel aged wines have a depth of character and complexity along with a more lush texture than stainless steel tank fermented wines. One important factor is whether the oak barrel is French or American. The two have different qualities and thus impart varying characteristics to the wines. Most obvious is the fact that American oak has a wider grain and the spicy notes and vanilla are more pronounce as opposed to the French oak with a tighter grain in which those characteristics are more subtle in the finished wine. The wine maker selects the type of barrels he or she feels best suits the style of wine they are making. Tune in tomorrow when we discuss the differences between new oak and used oak barrels and how they affect the finished wine. Remember to send your wine questions to Linda at vine to wine dot net and thank you for joining me on today's Vine to Wine.