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+--- Thread: steel barrells, oak barrels, what's the taste difference? (/thread-18496.html)
- Doug Holdsworth - 08-06-1999
what is the basic taste difference in using stainless steel barrels or oak barrels in aging?
- Bucko - 08-06-1999
Vanilla.
Bucko
- Tabby - 08-06-1999
And, er, oak. [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb/wink.gif[/img]
- Randy Caparoso - 08-07-1999
While the benefits of oak barrels in fermentation and aging of wines have much to do with the flavors (vanilla/cream, often combined with charred or "toasty" qualities) and phenolics (light tannins) imparted by this regime, it is the oxidative effects plus the dynamics of fermentation in a smaller enclosure (as opposed to normally larger stainless steel tanks) which are most desired by vintners. Simply put, use of oak barrels are likely to result in rounder, smoother, more harmonious wines than what can be achieved through exclusive use of stainless steel tanks. Generally speaking, of course; not as a rule.
The benefits of enclosed stainless steel tanks are that fermentation temperatures can be precisely controlled; plus the fact that the effect desired by many vintners during the aging process is prevention of oxidation for certain wines. It's all a matter of choice; practical, aesthetic, and of course, commercial.
For instance, when I was in Germany recently I visited numerous great, great vintners specializing in Riesling, Germany's piece de resistance. Yet the thinking on stainless steel vs. oak barrel varied enormously. Some producers preferred 100% stainless steel fermentation and aging; others preferred 100% fermentation and aging in traditional 1000 liter (264 gallon) oak "fuders"; and still others made regular use of both methods, depending upon vintage conditions and even serendipity. These fuders, however, were usually fairly old (used for up to 90 years) and made from well "seasoned" oak (exposed for over 4 years to natural elements before being made into barrels to reduce stronger oak flavor elements), and so their usage had more to do with rounding off and polymerizing of acidity and other natural qualities of their wines rather than actual impartation of oak flavors. Proponents of pure stainless steel usage are more concerned with the preservation of every ounce of the grape's pure, natural fruit qualities, believing that fuders are not necessarily beneficial. The point is, the Germans' thinking and methods may vary widely, but the results, no matter what, are invariably very good, to spectacular.
The use of traditional French oak barrique -- 225 or 228 liter barrels -- for fuller bodied premium wines made from grapes like Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabenet Sauvignon more often than not involve the desired taste of oak as much as their fermentation and aging benefits. If you take a peek at the Chardonnay/White Burgundy thread on this Web site, you'll catch a glimpse of the widely varied viewpoints on the pros and cons of such treatment amongst producers, parts of the wine trade, writers and consumers. But that's the beauty of wine as a product. It is not only something that tastes great and is wonderful with food, it also holds endlessly different possibilities.
Hope this helps. Let me know if you want specific examples (i.e. wines that you can purchase and make taste comparisons), and either and I or someone else can probably come up with some neat suggestions.
- newtowine - 10-05-1999
so would that mean big companies like Sutter Home, Beringer, etc. who mass produce use steel barrels?
- Randy Caparoso - 10-05-1999
For high quality wines that benefit from that "rounding off" that wood provides -- like Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and other premium varietals and varietal blends -- such wineries definitely use oak barrels. For wines which are pretty much defined optimally purely through stainless steel fermentation -- like White Zinfandel, and often Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Chenin blanc -- these same wineries would forego the use of wood.
For "mass production," as you put it, it certainly doesn't make sense to do any wine in tiny little "steel barrels." What is used are very large tanks -- something on the order of several thousand gallons in size. The only time little tanks (less than 100 gallons) come in handy is when small batches are made (experiments, or things from new vines, or hand picked "late harvest" wines, etc.).