In the production of wine.........?!
In the production of wine.........?
why is it stored in wooden barrels instead of plastic or aluminum?
Answers:
Winemaking is empericial.
We use wooden (usually French or American oak) barrels because we like what happens to the flavor of the wine. The flavors of the wine marry with components from the surface of the barrel imparting pleasant flavors. The size of the barrel, the level of toast and the source of the wood all affect the flavor it imparts. Most west coast wineries use barriques (small barrels). Barrels impart flavor only for about 3 years. After that they are neutral. Most winemakers balance new oak with 1 and 2 year old oak. Large barrels are used much longer well into their neutral stage. They serve the purpose of allowing the wine to integrate without imparting any wood flavors.
The best way to illustrate why we use wooden barrels s to examine the alternatives to these expensive barrels. Wineries looking only for oaky, wood flavor without the hassle and expense of aging (can't sell what sitting there aging) use the following oak products:
Oak oil, oak powder, oak granules, oak sawdust, oak chips, oak dominos, oak planks, oak staves just to name a few.
We (Americans in particular) love the oak flavor and most wineries know that.
Travel to Europe and you'll see much of their traditional wines being aged in concrete vats and 100yr old barrels 14 feet high. Aged wine is different than oak aged wine or oaked wine (as the shortcut oak product using wines are lableled).
Plastic or aluminum containers would taint the wine in a bad way. Oak taints it in a GOOD way...usually. Some winemakers would be better served to not to go so crazy with it. It can hide the good stuff. It should be used like salt when cookng. An additive to enhance but not overpower.