At Los Milics Vineyards in Sonoita, we’re hosting tastings on our crush pad while the tasting room is built. If I am not in the weeds, I give tours of the production facility. Invariably, someone asks about barrels. Questions like “Where do you get your barrels?” or “Are they all new?” are common.
There are three major reasons to use oak barrels: to add aromatic and flavor compounds; allow for slow oxygen exchange through porous staves, which round out and soften the wine; and to encourage metabolic reactions like malolactic fermentation to make wine creamier, per se. Oak allows you to impart subtle flavors and create a “house style” for your wines.
French, American and Hungarian oak are the main types. French tends to be pricier and provides nuanced flavors. American is more robust, adding aromas of coconut, dill and vanilla. Hungarian is in between. Size also matters – the smaller the barrel, the more wood-to-wine contact. Toast levels (how long staves are exposed to fire/heat) are important, too. A light toast renders notes like clove or toasted bread. A heavy toast imparts more intense, smoky character.
I’m really excited about our Graciano, which is sleeping in a Mathias Stockinger Foudre from Austria. Because it is larger, this barrel imparts less flavor and oxygen exchange. It allows the fruit to shine. We should be bottling that wine sometime at the end of this year. Now all it needs it’s a marbled ribeye!
Los Milics Vineyards
losmilicsvineyards.com
