The “woodiness” of wine is one of the great wine debates. While a large part of the population enjoys wines with a lot of oak, others hate the fact that wood invades the wine, preventing us from seeing the fruit from which it is made. I will not deny that I am in this second sector.
Everything in its right measure is acceptable. Fine, elegant and well-integrated wood is very enjoyable, as long as it allows us to recognise the variety from which the wine has been made. For its part, the passage of time velvets and refines the wines from barrels, endowing them with silky notes. The most recent classic riojas are difficult to drink due to the excessive presence of wood, but in twenty years’ time, the integration will be such that the wines will be fabulous.
Depending on the type of barrel used, the wine will have different nuances. In general terms, we can speak of French, American, Hungarian and Slavonian oak barrels, although there are some producers – the fewest – who use chestnut or acacia barrels. In any case, the grain, the toasting, as well as the different sizes and years of use of the barrels will influence the final result significantly.
The common size of the barrels is 225 litres. American oak barrels produce sweeter wines, with notes of coconut, while European oak barrels are more neutral and produce finer, spicier wines. The grain of the wood, if it is fine, adds elegance, while an excessive level of toasting will prevent us from seeing the grape from which the wine has been made.
There are wine-growing areas, such as a large part of Italy, that use foudres, as they have a larger capacity, between 1500 and 5000 litres, which means that the wine comes into much less contact with the wood, which is inexorably reflected in the flavour. I particularly like them because, given their large size, the contribution of wood is considerably reduced, giving rise to wines in which the presence of the fruit is clearer.
In this way, the different types of barrels are reflected in the wine, so the use of one type or another is extremely important in the final result of what we are going to drink.
