Stainless steel barrels are a popular unit used these days for the storage of wine after it’s been made and produced. However, wooden barrels are the traditional way for storing and aging wines as they have a fantastic ability to imbue different flavors onto the final product.
Oak is the most common wood used to do this by far, and the flavors imparted upon wines vary by the variety of oak that is used. Check out this guide to the two most common oaks and the effects that they have on wines.
American Oak
One of the two main types of oak used for winemaking is American oak, which is sourced from east of the Mississippi River, primarily in states like Minnesota and Wisconsin. Aging in American oak barrels gives sweet flavors like vanilla, coconut, and even chocolate and is good for bold reds whose flavors aren’t easily overwhelmed.
French Oak
French oak, on the other hand, is better for use in milder reds that are wonderfully enhanced by this wood of European origin. Spiciness along with nuttiness and some faint vanilla sweetness are the best ways to describe the flavor that the aging process gives wines that spend time in these popular, but expensive, casks.
