Barrels have a long, rich history with wine. Barrels have been reportedly used in Gaul, now modern day France, since at least 300BC to store mostly beer. When the Romans invaded Gaul they started using these barrels to store their wine. Their round shape made transport easy and the wood, being naturally watertight, made them excellent for long voyages. It wasn’t until more recent history that barrels, primarily made from oak, started to be used for what they could contribute to the wine’s flavour and body.
Shopping for barrels can be somewhat akin to shopping for a car. There are different makes (coopers), models (barrel size), trim levels (toast/method of bending/length of seasoning), and nationality. Every year in spring in the Northern hemisphere winemakers sift through dozens of catalogues from barrel makers and distributors highlighting the year’s lineup. So how does one choose a barrel? Much like shopping for a car many of us need to take a new cooperage for a test drive. As barrels are a large commitment, both in terms of the wine’s outcome, and cost, we will seek information from peers in the industry, their thoughts on the cooper and if available, try wines from barrel samples specific to that cooper. If we feel as though the cooperage would fit our needs after its test drive, we will then purchase the barrels and add them to our barrel program.
Here at Harwood we use oak from four different countries: Canada, France, Hungary, and the USA. French oak has long been seen as an industry standard for its nuanced addition of vanilla, sweet baking spice, and silky tannin. French oak plays a supporting role giving lift to the fruit while providing gentle tannin addition to our lively County wines. American oak, when compared to French, is less subtle, lending sweeter vanilla, fresh dill, coconut, and roasted coffee notes to the wine with big, chewy tannins. American oak tends to battle with our County fruit for the leading role in the flavour profile of the wine. That being said, when used judiciously it can add another layer of complexity to a wine that using French oak alone may not provide. Hungarian oak has long been used in the wine making world and is currently seeing a spike in popularity. Hungarian oak tends to walk a fine line between French and American oak, having the structure and elegance of French oak while having some of the more robust flavours of the American oak while also adding notes of leather and dark spice.
One of the main benefits, besides the flavours and tannins the barrels give to the wine, is that of the slow rate of oxygen the porous barrels allow to come into contact with the wine. This slow, deliberate oxidation allows wines to soften, polymerizing tannins and helping stabilise the wines colour. Very few materials allow such controlled oxidation while retaining relative cost effectiveness and ease of use. Barrels, magical as they are however, have their costs. The cost of oak barrels vary, mostly related to the country of origin. French oak barrels easily cost in excess of $1200, American oak runs around $700-$800, and Hungarian oak, runs in the $800-$900 range. These are generalizations for a standard 225/228L barrel. At 228L, a French oak barrel adds $5.25/L to a wine. Barrels also require constant care and attention. As the wine matures, that wonderful porosity that allows that slow, deliberate oxidation also allows the wine to evaporate. The evaporation can be quite substantial, sometimes resulting in losses of up to 25L per year. Barrels must also be kept at a constant temperature and relatively high humidity all adding to their cost. However, even with their additional costs, the marriage between fine wine and a well made barrel is a thing of true beauty. So as the vines come out of hibernation and the spring thaw begins, our wines from previous years will be resting, slumbering away in their carefully selected barrel, waiting their turn to be enjoyed by you.
