Garage Winemaking in South Africa Less is More - Cape Wine ...

patterns, determine how much and in what ratios compounds are synthesized in
trees. 63
Barrels for wine come mainly from France, America and Eastern Europe. French
oak carries the highest reputation and price tag. French oak contains more
extractables, polyphenols and tannins than American oak. American oak has a
relatively low phenol count and a high concentration of aromatic substances in
comparison to French oak species. American tends to give a less subtle, more
pungent coconut, spicy and vanilla flavour. Prices of American oak are almost half
the price of French, probably due to the fact that it is so dense that it remains
watertight even after sawing. French oak needs to be split. Due to its obvious
flavours, American Oak is used for powerfully flavoured red wines. 64
The size of the barrel as well as the age of the barrel is fundamental. The smaller
the barrel the higher the ratio of surface area to volume and the more impact the
wood is likely to have on the wine in either physical or flavour sense. The newer the
barrel, the more oak flavour and tannin it has to be leeched into the wine. After 3 or
4 years there is little left to impart flavour and the wood is merely a storage
container.
Seasoning and toasting also affect the flavour the barrel imparts. Trees are
dried either naturally or artificially. The wood can be seasoned naturally by being left
outside for two to three years where it is exposed to the elements. This allows the
wood to dry naturally while the rain gradually leaches out all the hard green tannins
from the oak. Wood is artificially seasoned by keeping the oak staves in a ventilated
drying oven at 40-60ºC for about a month. Natural seasoning is a far superior
process due to years in the wind and rain washing out the harsh tannins and other
unpleasant components. During this drawn out natural seasoning time the physical,
aromatic and organoleptic qualities of oak for use in wine production improve. The
oven drying process does not allow for the same amount of leaching to take place in
the wood. 65
Along with seasoning, the toasting of the barrel is a very important part of barrelmaking.
Not only does it set the barrel in its final shape, but the heat applied to the
wood leads to the formation of aromatic compounds which are important in the
maturation of wine. The heat source for toasting is ideally an open fire fuelled by oak
but can be gas or electricity. There are generally three levels of toasting, light,
medium and heavy. One cooper‟s medium toast might not be like another‟s, so
winemakers need to select their wood carefully and build relationships with
cooperages that produce a level of toasting that works with their specific wine style. 66
There are lots of alternative wood products on the market today, but the
conclusion still is that barrels reign supreme. The problem with most staves/chips is
they are made from inferior wood to begin with. The other problem is that by putting
the wood alternative in a tank, your wine is missing out on the importance of micro
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