I recently acquired my third wine barrel, thanks to the nice folks of the Pulchella Winery. I’ve always had such a fascination for those vessels, and love having them in and around the house. Let’s face it, they look nice and leave behind a wonderfully addicting smell of oak and fermented wine… Come on people, that should be a candle scent if it isn’t yet!
My new wine barrel is now sheltered near a freshly remodeled wooden shed. It adorns a peaceful corner in our backyard, where my wife and I enjoy the occasional glass of wine… Who am I kidding, we do it everyday! But now we do it in style ;)
I feel extremely grateful to own those barrels, especially considering how precious they are and the history they leave behind. Winemakers purchase those barrels for about $600 to $900 a piece… Quite the investment! They are used for about 5 to 6 years after which they are replaced with new oak once they lose their oaky profile. Care to learn more about wine barrels? Let’s ponder!
Where Are Wine Barrels From?
The top three countries producing wine barrels are France, United States, and Hungary. France is famed for its high-quality oak barrels. Winemakers from around the globe favor French Oak due to the wood’s ability to transfer very subtile layers of spice and sweetness to the wine.
On the other hand, American Oak is more heavy handed and a lot sweeter, therefor not applicable for certain varietals. Dierberg and Star Lane winemaker Tyler Thomas said in a recent presentation: “California grapes already start with a sweet fruit profile, and we want to be cognizant of not adding sweetness to sweetness … We have to be selective about how we integrate that barrel into the wine.”
And finally, Hungarian Oak is prized for its tight grain structure and features an even more discreet woodiness than French oak due to its lower aroma and flavor content that imparts finesse to the wine.
Though those 3 countries dominate the industry, Spain, Portugal, and Romania are the remaining few countries throughout the world that contribute to the wine barrel crafting business.
How Are Wine Barrels Made?
Well I’m glad you asked! It’s a craft that calls for precision and expertise. The first step of building a wine barrel is to choose the appropriate oak, from which barrel makers subsequently fashion long, thin strips of wood (aka staves). Then that wood is carefully left in a dry place for several months to a year to bring the moisture content down and make the wood stable.
The staves are then assembled vertically in a circular shape, and maintained in place with metal rings or hoops. The process is called “cerclage” in French. The barrel is carefully placed over a small fire for mild roasting, which contributes to the maturation of the wine’s eventual tastes and aromas. It also softens the wood slightly, making it easier to bend and curve. Once the barrel reached its desired toasting level, a base and a cap are carefully placed at each end. The barrel is now ready for the final step… A powerful hydraulic press gives the oak staves a little squeeze, giving the barrel its final well-known curvy shape. At this point, the barrel maker places two final hoops at the top and bottom of the barrel for ultimate strength.
Wine Ponderer Steve Jacobson travelled to France a few years ago and got the opportunity to shoot a short video at a wine barrel crafting facility. This 2 minute video shows the behind the scenes of a multi-generational craft that continues to produce the best wine vessels needed for the perfect maturation of our coveted beverage. A huge thanks to cognac.com for allowing us to use and share the video.
Aging Wine In A Barrel
In addition to growing the grapes and knowing when to harvest it, the winemaker and the rest of the winemaking team also get to pick the barrel. It’s a personal choice that will directly affect the end result of the wine’s potential. The origin of the barrel (the type of oak) makes a huge difference in the final taste of the wine, not to mention the toasting level. There are multiple levels of toasting and the winemaker must choose carefully based on his or her goal.
A wine barrel gets used about 5 to 6 years during which it imparts its oak characteristics to the wine. The wine absorbs the oak’s savory aromas (little sweetness, a hint of vanilla and some spices) throughout this time. The curing and maturation process can take anywhere from six months to a couple of years for any given wine. It all depends on the desired taste.
A simple analogy would be to ask yourself how much spice you should add to your recipe — And the answer is completely and utterly subjective.
But that’s not all…
Have You Heard Of A String Of Staves?
Wine barrels are referred to as neutral oak after 5 to 6 years of loyal service. They are used for a few more years after that before being retired all together. When oak becomes too “neutral” in the middle of maturation and the wine hasn’t reach its desired taste and aroma, the winemaker may choose to add a string of staves inside the barrel. It’s made of multiple tiny sticks of oak strung together with a plastic mesh. The amount of links added to the wine is completely based on the original goal and desired taste. And it avoids pumping the wine out of a barrel into another.
Speaking of which, the winery told me that they had used a string of oak staves in the wine barrel they just gave me. So out of curiosity, I decided to take a look in the barrel. I peeked through the tiny side hole and thought there was a snake in the barrel! I live in Southern California and it wouldn’t be unusual. As I pushed myself backwards in a swift motion, I lost my balance and fell on my @$$. My attempt to quickly get away from the barrel was quite comical and far from elegant. Once I realized it was the string of staves, I felt a quite foolish and was glad no one was there to see this debacle. But now you know what a string of staves is… It looks like a snake. IT DOES!
Fun Wine Barrel Stats
Other than a handful of established winemaking guidelines and knowledge, most of the process remains a subjective call made by the winemaking team. And wine barrels are just the tip of the iceberg! Making wine is an art and a science. I have much respect for the people who are trying their very best to consistently deliver delicious wines. The road is long and sinuous but the result is priceless.
Cheers!
Want A Wine Barrel Of Your Own?
Used barrels present small defects linked to their handling and the wine inside. And that’s fine! They create the most beautiful creations and backyard decorations. You can also choose to cut the barrel in half and use it as a classic planter.
I personally like the imperfection of a used barrel for its vintage effect. However, you may decide to renovate your barrel to make it look new. To restore the shine of your barrel and remove wine stains, simply clean it with hydrogen peroxide or watered-down bleach. Yet, some barrels might need light sanding of the surface. Here is a personal project of mine that might inspire you to build your own wine barrel furniture.
You can buy wine barrels at your local home improvement store for about $120. Or you can find one directly from a winery if you’re lucky to have one near by. It won’t be free but it’ll make a much better story than saying you got it at Lowe’s or Home Depot.
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EXCELLENT!
Video question: When the machine pushes all the staves together how do they get the bands onto the unsecured side. The video went so quickly, I couldn’t see how the small diameter band was placed????
Hey Karl! Thanks again for your continuous support. I don’t think that part is shown on the video. Once the staves are pushed together with the hydraulic press, the top ring is placed around them and hammered slowly until it becomes flushed with the top of the barrel. Once the top is done, they flip the barrel and repeat the process for the bottom.