French, European, and American – What Does It All Mean?

Although many dogs think that trees are good for only one or two things (mainly for making branches that can be carried and tossed), a sophisticated winery dog like me knows that trees have a very special place in our industry.  In my last blog, I gave you a bit of information about how barrels came to be used to store wine – they sure beat carrying around those huge amphora AND they make wine taste even better. Today, I am going to talk to you about the three types of oak used to barrel age wines.

Barrel makers are called coopers, and the companies they work for are called cooperages.  This name is thought to come from the Gaul region (just like the use of oak barrels) where the wine was stored in cupals and the makers of these were called cuparius. These days, it is a pretty sure bet that if your last name is Cooper or Hooper, barrel making is somewhere in your family history.

All trees used by coopers in the barrel making process are grown in cooler climates.  Growing in a cooler climate allows the oak trees to grow more slowly and to develop a tighter grain.  Trees used for barrels are grown in tightly spaced forests that force the trees to grow straight and this helps to reduce any knots that may develop.  They are grown until they are about 100 years old and 5 feet in circumference. The only part of the tree used by coopers is the section of the trunk from right above ground level to right below the first branches.  This section is cut, by hand for French and by machine for American and European, into the narrow staves that form the barrels. These staves must be air dried for 3-4 years before being made into barrels.  A skilled cooper can get at least two and up to four barrels from each tree.

The most famous, and sought after, type is the French oak.  Trees used for these are grown in the Allier, Troncais, and Vosges forests and can costs upwards of $4,000 a barrel.  More commonly, the prices for these barrels range from $850-3,600 a barrel. Because the staves for French oak barrels are hand cut to decrease the tannin and astringency levels, the cost for these barrels is significantly more than their American and European counterparts.  Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are especially suited for these barrels as they soak up the subtle flavors so well, but all wines can benefit from the satin and silk textures that aging in French oak imparts.

European oak, sometimes called Hungarian, is considered to be the middle ground in the barrel world.  It comes from the same type of oak as French oak barrels (Quercus robur), but at $560-700 per barrel, it costs much less.  European oak barrels are often used on full-bodied varietals, like Malbec and Petit Verdot, that can hold their own against the richer, nuttier flavors that these barrels give.

American oak, although used mostly by the bourbon industry, has also found a niche in the wine world.  This oak is much stronger in flavor, and is often added in the aging process to impart notes of cream soda, vanilla, coconut, and even dill.  Grown in 18 different states, the American White Oak, adds a rugged quality to wines that are clean and fruit-forward. These are the least expensive barrels at $360-500 a pop.

Winemakers make many choices in barrel aging that have huge impacts on the flavor and tastes of wine: the origin of the barrel they use, the variety of barrels used in the aging process, the choice of using toasted barrels, and aging for different lengths of time.  By allowing a slow oxidation of the wine and by imparting a huge variety of flavors, aging in oak increases the complexity and softens the finish of any wine it touches. However, it isn’t the only barreling option available in these modern times. In the next blog, I will talk about some of the other options available in the wine industry today.

Intro to Barrels

I might be a silly dog sometimes, but even I am not so silly to think that wine barrels are just made for us vineyard dogs to sit on and look pretty. (Pictured above is Kelly from Windy Ridge Winery in Victoria, Australia)  I’ve heard plenty of folks asking about the barrel terminology used in the tasting room. It is likely that these are questions that have been asked for years upon years since oak barrels have been the primary storage vessel for wine since the Roman empire was in the conquest phase.

Romans didn’t always use oak barrels for storing and transporting their wine.  The first preferred container was the clay amphora and this was used for many years since it was easy to carry, could be decorated, and most importantly sealed out the air that can ruin wines.  Easy transportation was especially important for the Roman troops as they helped the empire spread. Wine was an ideal beverage to take because it was often safer than water, it provided calories, and it gave them a buzz as they headed into battle.  As the empire spread, the clay pots became too heavy to lug on their increasingly long journeys.

This was the perfect time for the Romans to encounter the Gaul.  The Gaul were using technology learned from the Celtic region to create oak barrels for storing beer.  Roman soldiers immediately saw the benefits for storing wine in oak barrels: the wood was soft and easy to bend, oak was plentiful in Europe, and the barrels were waterproof due to the tight grain of the wood.  Folks in charge of carrying the wine also quickly discovered a huge bonus: oak barrels could be turned on their sides and rolled. This was a match made in heaven!

After actually storing wine in the barrels, the Romans realized that not only was the barrel useful and mobile, but it imparted a delicious influence on the wine both in texture and flavor.  Since then, the art of using barrels for wine aging has morphed into a science of using a variety of oaks, toasted or not, new or neutral to create the desired effect.

There is so much to tell you about the difference between American, French, and Hungarian oaks that I can’t fit it into one blog.  Stay tuned for more information about oak barrels coming in the next blog, but for now I will answer the question nearly EVERYONE asks: “What country does neutral oak come from?”  Oaks of American, French, or Hungarian origin can all be considered neutral. A barrel is considered neutral after it has been used for two or more vintages. The rule of thumb I have heard is the first aging it is called new, the second has no specific title (i.e. simply French oak or American oak), and anything after that is considered neutral.