The world of wine to Sips
No one doubts the importance of wine guard in barrels, which supposes, after all, offering the market for quality, but strangely we managed to know the amount of barrels of the different denominations of origin, which could give us a fixed photo of its wines. It is a question that we have launched to our search engine and the truth is that except in Rioja, which indicates that at the end of December 2019 they had 1,356,820 225 liter barrels for parenting, it is a fact that they do not provide the rest of the denominations, or that the search engine has not been able to offer us.
That if there are no lack of links that tell us about the barrels, such as the ‘Grupoelivo.com’ where we read that “would you know why the wood is so important for the wine? For relatively a short time it is known that the aging of the wines having them in barrel improves the color, aromas and taste. This was discovered when this drink was transported by sea in wooden barrels.
The main thing to know is that wine in limited contact with the air develops new flavors and acquires stability. Of course, the next step will be to continue its evolution with a breeding in the bottle.
Phenomena
According to barrel manufacturing experts, wines wood aging:
Condensation reactions between anthocyans and tannins, which occur with the intervention of acetaldehyde and lead to colored compounds.
Oxidation reactions that in the case of anthocyans are degraded, the tannins are plotted and the tannin-anthocian combinations evolve their color towards the orange.
Condensation reactions that lead to the disappearance of precipitation molecules.
Wood gives to wine tannins, polyphenols and aromatic substances.
Advantages
From the organoleptic point of view, the color is modified due to the microoxygenation that occurs through wood. Tannins and other polyphenols oxidize to lose the bright red color. In other words, a stabilization of color is achieved depending on the type of wine.
As for the taste, the parenting in wood modifies astringency and bitterness giving rise to a certain fineness, softness and complexity.
Finally, the aromas also change because part of the primary (fruits, flowers, green and the ‘bouquet’ appears.
Risks
However, barrel parenting should be done by specialists in the field to prevent the wine from being inadequate. It is very important to select the type of barrels used, as well as calculate the breeding time so that it does not fail due to excess or default. It is about avoiding the formation of yeast veils on the surface of the wine and the formation of molds in excessively wet wineries. Likewise, you have to control the levels of volatile acidity in aged wines. ”
Because what is unanimity is about the importance of the use of barrels throughout the wine process. In ‘Interempresas.net’ we read that “among the different transformations that occur during the aging of a red wine, the variation in the phenolic composition and the aromatic profile are especially important,” explains Juan Manuel del Fresno, researcher of the VENEC GRUPO of the Higher Technical School of Agronomic, Food and Biosystems Engineering (Etsiaab) of the UPM and one of the authors of this work. "However, the information provided by the tonelerías is limited and the winemaker may understand that this information is sufficient to anticipate the behavior of these factors during aging."
With this departure premise, the UPM researchers analyzed the characteristics of wines made in different oak barrels of French origin, considered very similar by producers. The results showed that, despite the fact that the barrels commercially classified in a similar way, the final wines did show variations in some of their most important characteristics.
"The results of parameters such as the total polyphenol index or chromatic characteristics were very similar in all the wines studied. However, when the wines were analyzed at the instrumental level, we find interesting differences. The anthocyans, compounds responsible for the color of the reds were significantly different in some of the wines. The same happened with the stable pigments called Vitisinas," explains the UPM researcher.
The aroma, the most affected appearance
The biggest differences, however, were found when analyzing the aromatic compounds assigned to the wine and from oak wood. "The different barrels gave rise to different aromatic profiles in all the families of analyzed compounds, aldehydos phenolic, furanic compounds, lactonia and volatile phenols, which implies very important changes in this characteristic of wine, one of the most taken into account when assessing its final quality," says Juan Manuel del Fresno. "
In ‘Bodegasmontecillo.com’ they tell us that “(…) If you think of a barrel, the oak wood automatically comes to your mind. And, indeed, oak is the most widespread wood for its elaboration, which does not mean that it is the only one: there are cherry, pine, acacia, brown… although its use is minority.
But the oak remains the king both for its chemical characteristics (which are responsible for the aromatic compounds that are given to the wine) as physical (better tightness and better handling of wood in barrels) although, yes, one is not the same one oak than another. The American and French oak are the most used and are not the same either:
The American oak "Quercus alba" is more porous and, therefore, allows more oxygen to reach wine, so it benefits short breeding wines by promoting faster evolution. This is because "the grain", or space between the growth rings is greater than in the French. On the other hand, it is a wood with less tannins than the French oak. It is the type of wood we use in our upbringing.
The French oak, "Quercus Robur" on the other hand, is denser and its pore is smaller (having the radios of growth close together) and, therefore, the evolution of wine inside is slower. Consequently, it is perfect for long offspring. The total amount of tannin contributing to the wine is quite higher in this type of oak. For our reserve we use mixture of both woods and in raising our great reserve, barrels are 100% French oak. It is important to keep in mind that not all young wines can age in new French oak barrels. It is possible that wood can wine and we do not get the desired effect.
Another aspect to take into account in relation to the wood of the barrels is the degree of roasted, which can be light, medium or strong and if the entire interior or only the staves are taken, leaving fresh wood in the funds. As you can guess, the toast has a direct effect on the aromaticity of the wine and the commercial profile that is sought.
Now you know how the idyll between wine and wood began. Fruit of a happy coincidence or the avatars of destiny, what is undeniable is that it is one of those relationships destined to last forever. Let's provide for her! ”
But the number of barrels of the different denominations of origin is still not contributed to me. This reminds me that a few years ago, on a visit to the Chateau Saint Michelle Winery, in the Saint Michelle Estates region, in the state of Washington, which is the one that dominates the region, on their attractive wine tourist visit, ask them on different occasions, the amount of barrels they had for the production of their wines and failed to give me an approximate amount. If I schedule any visit to a winery, one of the data to be provided is precisely the relationship of barrels with the total production of that winery. I would tell us a lot about it. Today we are thinking about the issue proposed to the time of taste a wine from that American winery that works, especially, the Riesling variety.
Subscribe for free to our newsletter. Put here!
English
French