Barrel

A question of oenological precision! Let's take a closer look at a key concept in barrel ageing : the size of a barrel - and therefore the extent of the contact surface between the wood and the wine - has a direct impact on the taste of the latter.If the history and geography of each wine-growing region have influenced barrel capacity, so too have the grape varieties vinified there. Barrels first appeared in the Bordeaux region, then spread to the rest of France, hence the democratization of this term to refer to the barrel. Futaille, tonneau, barrique, fût: here are several words that today often refer to the same container!

The organoleptic benefits of oak wood

Barrels are most often made from oak, a wood with very interesting oenological characteristics. Supple, light, robust and rot-proof, it is also porous and lets the wine breathe, which benefits its ageing. A new oak barrel, or one less than 3 years old, also contains tannins, which give structure to the wine. It's also rich in aromatic compounds, which vary according to the species used (French oak, American oak, etc.). The longer a wine ages in barrel before bottling, the more it benefits from these organoleptic properties.

Difference between barrel ageing and vat ageing

Ageing in barrels only concerns around 5% of the world's wines. The aromas of vanilla, wood, soot, smoke and toast are not always beneficial to the product. Barrels also represent a significant cost, and their use remains delicate (hygiene, temperature, etc.). Most of our wines are still aged in concrete or stainless steel vats. Where barrel ageing confers complex aromas and body to the wine, tank ageing will produce a wine with fruitier, fresher and lighter notes..

Wood preparation

It includes :

• selection and cutting of the 120-year-old oak,
• drying of staves (large planks) for 3 years,
• the transformation of the staves into staves, the characteristic long pieces of the barrel,
• the pink stave setting in temporary metal hoops.

Heating, or toasting

Dedicated to the bending of the barrel, this stage of toasting reveals the wood's aromas, while creating new ones, known as empyreumatic. The longer the roast, the stronger these characteristic flavors become, but the more the wood tannins become rarefied.

Trimming, binding and finishing

The cooper then fits and adjusts the bottoms of the barrel, marked with the cooperage's coat of arms, the year of manufacture and the type of toasting performed. Once connected, the barrel is leak-tested before going to market.