The practice of maturing fine wines in oak barrels dates back over 1,000 years. The “marriage” of oak and wine seems a happy and felicitous one. Originally, most wines were European, most fine wines were French, and French oak was widely used in the aging process. Recently the increasing expense of French oak barrels and the management of this limited resource prompted wineries to look for other sources, especially American and Canadian oak. The oaks that are used belong to the white oak species.
The wine barrels begin as oak trees which are selected for harvest with very high and exacting standards. Not just any oak tree will do. The oak for barrels is graded, among other factors, on the tightness of the growth lines. The finer the grain, the better the barrel. From there they are harvested and ruff cut planks are transformed into the barrels. Each stave is cut on angles designed to compliment it's neighbouring stave. The craftsmanship that goes into making the barrels is truly an art form. The manufacture of wine barrels, called coopering, involves heating the barrels over a wood fire, so they can be bent and shaped. The charring that occurs on the inside of the barrel during this process is referred to as toasting. The level of toasting that the barrel has determines the toasty flavors imparted in the wine. When used appropriately, the toasty flavours can have a significantly beneficial effect on the wine's flavor.
Most of the wine industry purchase their barrels from either France or the USA and to some degree Canada. Barrels vary slightly in height and width but cradle nearly the identical volume in wine. They are shipped to the wineries where they are hydrated and allowed to swell to their wet-tight state. The cellar staff role and bang the barrel rings into their final position and wait for a perfect seal. The wine fills the barrel, some time later a vintage is bottle and the cycle continues.
The first year the barrels are used they offer the wine some flavour but it is believed the true 'oak' flavour comes through best in the following seasons. Most wine is only oak aged for a year so every year the barrel sees a new vintage. Premium red wines are aged in the oak longer and that is reflected in the flavour and price of the wine. The barrels remain active as long as the Cellar Master or Wine Maker sees fit, usually about 5 yrs. A surplus of these 'aged' barrels has spawned a new arts and crafts movement where the odd angles of the staves create exotic lines and the wine stained wood makes the natural grain explode. The patina on the outside of the staves proves water, wine, and wear can not beat back the beauty of the mighty oak. Each barrel is unique and create equally unique staves that take on a life of their own once outside the cellar.
It really is our extreme pleasure to help transform these barrels into what we believe to be works of art. Recycling has never looked or felt so good. See our products now! See our products now!
