In the field of winemaking, all the processes that the wine undergoes from the moment of its production, including the vinification process and the various periods of aging, whether short, long, or very long, represent the evolution that the wine goes through during its lifetime.
After the harvest, destemming, and pressing, the grape juice must ferment to become wine, in specific containers called “fermenters.” However, before it can be tasted, it is necessary for the wine to rest and “stabilize,” allowing it to mature in color, aromas, and flavors typical of the grape variety or varieties used, especially in the case of a blend.
The materials commonly used in its evolution are steel, wood, concrete, terracotta, and glass, and the winemaker has the delicate task of choosing the most suitable material for the specific grape variety and the desired wine outcome.
These containers are known as wine vessels, and they serve the purpose of holding the wine during its maturation stages. They vary in terms of the materials they are made of, their sizes, and, in some cases, their age.
Therefore, being in direct contact with the element they hold, these containers will be of fundamental importance in the evolution we are discussing, precisely because of the interactive exchange that will occur and will lead to different results depending on the container used.
It is therefore essential for the winemaker to have the experience and the right knowledge of the transformations that the wine will undergo when in contact with certain materials rather than others, in order to choose the composition of the wine vessel, its dimensions, and the necessary duration of stay, to avoid making the wine trivial, predictable, or impersonal.
It is therefore essential for the winemaker to have the experience and the right knowledge of the transformations that the wine will undergo when in contact with certain materials rather than others, in order to choose the composition of the wine vessel, its dimensions, and the necessary duration of stay, to avoid making the wine trivial, predictable, or impersonal.
Given the breadth of the topic, today we will limit ourselves to discussing only maturation in wood, postponing the illustration of other materials to the next opportunity.
Wood, unlike the younger material of steel, is a material that interacts extensively with the wine it comes into contact with, releasing substances and allowing for proper micro-oxygenation through its pores.
Containers made from this material require specific general maintenance and, prior to use, they also require a typical treatment known as “seasoning,” necessary to prepare them for a proper (hygienic) reception of the wine.
The most commonly used wood essence is oak, particularly oak, which is a high-quality material capable of withstanding processing and treatments, both before and after use. It is highly suitable for storage and long aging.
The finest wood essences come from the forests of Slavonia in Croatia, the French Massif Central, the Alsatian Vosges, and Central Europe. Before being used, they undergo dehydration treatments that can last from 2 to 5 years.
Once filled, the barrel will impart many aromas to the wine, such as vanilla, cloves, white pepper, black pepper, licorice, tobacco, coffee, dried rose, and others, in proportion to the level of toastiness achieved. Depending on the desired outcome, the toast level can be light, medium, or heavy.
It is important to emphasize that wood, once in contact with wine, can only enhance its existing properties to the maximum extent, but it cannot improve it beyond that. In other words, if the wine itself is disappointing, the wood cannot make it better.
Regarding the size, if the barrel is small, there will be a higher percentage of wine surface in contact with the wood, resulting in a good and faster evolution. On the other hand, if the barrel is large, there will be a smaller wine surface in contact with the wood, leading to a slower and less pronounced evolution.
The most commonly used wooden barrels are:
Large barrels, typically ranging in capacity from 3,000 to 5,000 liters and beyond, are used for both must fermentation and maturation or long aging.
The use of large barrels does not imply a desire to achieve lower-quality wines. On the contrary, the contact between wine and wood is reduced compared to smaller barrels. As a result, tertiary aromas (derived from maturation) will be subtle, allowing primary aromas (from the grape variety and the grape itself) and secondary aromas (from the winemaking and must fermentation) to shine through. The most commonly perceived aromas are those of spices.
By reducing the size of the barrel, we have the Tonneau, which holds 500 liters, although some can reach up to 700 liters. The contact between wine and wood is greater compared to large barrels, but less than smaller ones like barriques. Therefore, the oxygenation and contribution of tertiary aromas will be more intense compared to large vats and more delicate compared to barriques.
By further reducing the size of the barrel, and consequently its capacity, we find the most widespread and favored worldwide, the Barriques, with a capacity of 225 liters. The contact between wine and wood is greater compared to tonneaux and large barrels, so the oxygenation, release of wood tannins, and toasting aromas will be more pronounced than before, and the contribution of tertiary aromas will be more vigorous, partially overlapping with the primary and secondary aromas.
The smallest of all are barrels that never exceed 15-16 liters. They are typically used for wines that do not undergo bottling, and it is customary to pour them directly into carafes for serving at the table. They do not have significant commercial prominence unless used as decorative elements in traditional establishments due to their appealing appearance.
In conclusion, the last aspect to consider for controlled maturation is the age of the barrel, or better yet, whether it has been previously used or it is on its first “passage” of wine.
If the barrel is new, thus on its “first passage,” there will be a significant release of tannins and aromas from the wood to the wine, enriching the wine with noticeable sweet and astringent notes that will fade over the years.
