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WORLD'S
BEST BARRELS |
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The label says that this barrel was
made at the famous François Fréres Tonnellerie (barrel-making
shop) in Saint Romaine, France. The mark on the barrel shows that
the barrel was made for “TJ” or Clos de la Tech out of
oak from the Bertrange forest, toasted to a Medium-+ level. |
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The Burgundian
theory is to use a high percentage of new oak, but to toast
it lightly to avoid excess oak flavor in the wine. The American theory
is different, as necessitated by the much more pungent oaky flavor
of American oak (quercus alba), compared with French oak (quercus
robur and quercus sessiliflora). An American vineyard might use 25%
new American oak barrels each year at a cost of $280 each (or $70
per year). Clos de la Tech uses 100% new French oak barrels every
year at a cost of $700 per barrel. We actually pay a surcharge in
that barrel cost, because we age our wood for three or four years
instead of the standard two years to reduce its woody flavor further
before the barrel-making process. We have already purchased the Bertrange
oak for our 2009 vintage.
The only thing we have changed since the picture at left was taken
is to reduce the toast from medium-plus to medium. Toasting oak creates
vanilla (literally), oak-based coconut-flavored compounds called octalactones,
as well as smoke-flavored compounds, such as guaiacol. The less the
barrel is toasted, the less of these oak-related compounds are in
the wine. The less flavorful the oak is, the higher percentage of
new oak can be used on the wine without “over-oaking”
it. Oak also has a highly beneficial effect on enhancing and stabilizing
the color of wine.
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