Why oak? Why not cedar? Apple?

[quijote]

Here's a question that's been simmering inside of me: How has oak come to be the predominant wood used in winemaking? Is it because it's cheap? Plentiful? Easy to form into barrels?

I'm guessing all three are probably true, and perhaps there are many more reasons.

But why not cedar? Or pine? Or apple? Or any number of other kinds of wood? I imagine they would impart some interesting aromas and flavors. (Isn't Greek retsina made with pine? If so why hasn't that caught on?)

[joeyz6]

I'll let someone else give you a full answer, but I suspect it's because of the specific flavors and aromas that are associated with oak -- vanilla, toasty notes, etc.

I could be wrong, but I don't think it's because it's cheap; I was under the impression that oak was quite expensive, especially the French variety.

[Kcwhippet]

Many different types of wood have been used over the centuries, but oak has been found to have the best characteristics particularly for the flavors imparted. Other woods, like chestnut, locust and cherry have been used, There are about 250 different species of oak, basically divided into red oak and white oak. The red has some very bitter and bad tasting qualities, so white oak is preferred. Of those, only three species are used to any degree. Two of those are native to Europe (Quercus pedunculata and Quercus sessilis) and the third is native to North America (Quercus alba).

[This message has been edited by Kcwhippet (edited 02-10-2003).]

[wondersofwine]

Some wines do give off cedar aromas. I don't know if they are really from oak barrels or not but it is interesting that they suggest cedar rather than oak.

[wondersofwine]

Some wines do give off cedar aromas. I don't know if they are really from oak barrels or not but it is interesting that they suggest cedar rather than oak.

[stevebody]

Some woods actually impart very unpleasant or even harmful esters into things they contact. Cedar is so potent that a wine fermented or aged in it would taste like cedar only. Cherry has esters that smell and taste nothing like cherries. They are actually acrid on the tongue. Cherry is great for smoking game or poultry because the sour esters burn off when flamed. Oak contains vanillin, which is the same ester that is contained in real vanilla. It is also dense and fine grained enough to be toasted - another nice flavor variant - without harming the structural integrity of the barrels. It's just, as amateur furniture makers like myself know, a really fine, sturdy, workable wood that smells great and laughs at the passage of time. And it grows, literally, all over the planet.