Wine in an oak barrel at home: how to properly prepare and store

Wine at home in an oak barrel improves the taste of the drink and makes it more refined, giving it a light oak aroma. Each winemaker, making wine, prefers just such a container, since as a result he receives a high-quality alcoholic drink. It is important that the wooden barrel is made to last, as the utensils used directly affect the properties of the alcohol.

What happens to wine in a barrel?

Wine is sent to a wooden container at the stage of maturation, which begins after the end of fermentation and can last for several years. Oak actively participates in this process.

Enriched with oak aromas

When a young wine comes into contact with the walls of the barrel, it begins to absorb oak extracts that complement the bouquet with original notes:

smell of vanilla, cinnamon, cloves;
sweet aromas of caramel, chocolate;
tannins;
smoky and woody tones due to the firing of the surface of the container inside;
notes of tea and tobacco.

Concentration of taste and aroma

When aging, the wine evaporates (from 2 to 4.5% of the volume annually), and the rest of the drink acquires a richer taste. It is not recommended to allow excessive evaporation, since the space in the container that has been vacated is filled with air, from contact with which the wine begins to oxidize intensively.Therefore, through a specially designed hole, it is necessary to regularly add wine of the same variety to the keg.

Aeration

Despite the fact that contact with air during the ripening period is not allowed, in small doses it has a positive effect on the organoleptic characteristics of the drink. Oxygen enters the container through the micropores of the wood. Under the influence of an oxidative reaction, the properties of wine change:

reduced astringency of finished products due to softening of tannins;
red wines take on brick tones and whites begin to darken;
reduced acidity level;
change from fresh, assertive aromas to delicate fruity tones.

Aging wine in a barrel forms a balanced bouquet of aromas, making alcohol rich and complex.

Advantages and disadvantages of aging wine in wooden barrels

An oak barrel designed for making and storing wine has many advantages:

Accelerated wine maturation process due to the ingress of a small amount of air through the pores of the wood.
The presence of a special taste and aroma. Under the influence of tannins, notes of caramel, vanilla appear in the aroma, and cinnamon, cloves appear in the taste.
High strength. Chemical and biochemical processes are carried out on the surface of oak staves: wine extracts aromatic substances from wood, including tannin, which gives the drink a special strength, makes it complex, and also prevents the product from spoiling, and inhibits oxidation processes. It is estimated that a barrel with a capacity of 225 liters for 1 year is able to enrich the wine with 50 mg / l of tannin, which is especially important for the full maturation of table red wines and many dessert drinks.
Useful properties. Wine is poured into barrels without processing, since the wood species is a natural preservative. Therefore, the drink retains all its healing qualities, a complex of vitamins and minerals. And due to the lack of heating of products, it has maximum benefits for the body.
Ecological product. Due to the influence of humidity, oak becomes hard, so the barrels are durable and reliable. Wood is able to absorb various contaminants, which has a beneficial effect on the quality of wine. Also, oak, as a natural antiseptic, cleanses the product of harmful substances and toxins.
Durability. A product made from quality wood, made using the right technology, will last for a long time.

Of the shortcomings, winemakers note only the high cost of an oak barrel.

Which barrels are used to age wine

There are several options for barrels made of oak for aging wine:

Bordeaux barrique with a capacity of 225 l, weighing 45 kg is used for aging both red and white wines.
Burgundy keg for great drinks. Its capacity is 228 liters.
Capacities with a large volume, round or cylindrical shape: botti (from 400 to 5000 l), demi-muis (600 l).
Caratello - from 25 to 200 l.

Often small containers are used in winemaking.

Due to the large area of contact with wood, the drink ages at a high rate and is impregnated with chemical compounds such as tannins.

Which wine suits?

Not all wines require barrel aging. Red light wine, endowed with a hint of fruit, harmonizes with oak.Grenache, Shiraz, Merlot can be aged in new containers. A large number of white wines, due to technological features, do not have tannins. They are fragile and, as a rule, ripen in steel containers. Exceptions are wines made from white grape varieties Riesling, Chardonnay.

How to properly prepare the container?

Young wine is not recommended to be poured into a new barrel. The container must be prepared in advance. To do this, follow the following procedure:

To do this, fill the barrel with cold water and change it once every two days. Carry out the procedure until the water stops getting dark.
After the barrel should be scalded with boiling water, filling 1/3 with boiling water, and rolled on a flat surface so that hot water wets the walls inside. Steam will speed up the process of swelling of the riveting, and small gaps will close faster, and the barrel will be disinfected.
In the next step, rinse with a hot 2% solution of soda ash (20 g of the substance per 1 liter of water). Fill the barrel halfway with the finished working composition. You can rinse by swinging on the ground for 30-40 minutes.
Pour out the soda solution and rinse with extreme care with hot water until the soda is washed off and the water is completely clean. Then wash with cold water.
Turn the washed container upside down, pull out the plugs, open the tap and let the remaining water drain, and immediately pour the wine.

Barrels that previously contained wine also need to be prepared. Otherwise, the produced alcohol may become infected with mold fungi. To do this, they need to be washed using a solution of soda (100 g / 5 l) and rinsed well using cold water.

Advice! Before filling a wooden barrel with wine, it is recommended to fumigate it with sulfur dioxide. Carry out the procedure constantly before filling the container.

How to store heady liquid in a wooden barrel at home

Alcoholic product only with proper storage will reveal its bright taste and characteristic aroma.

The barrels filled to the top with wine are kept in special cellars with an air temperature of 10-15 degrees. At higher rates, evaporation will increase, as a result, the aging of the product will accelerate, and at lower rates, all processes will slow down. Humidity level 90 percent. Also, the place should be without access to light. Ultraviolet radiation provokes biochemical processes that worsen the color and taste of the drink.

In cellars and cellars, barrels must be installed on special bars, since the container will quickly deteriorate on the ground, and foreign substances will be felt in the wine. It is forbidden to store food or objects with a strong smell near the barrels.

The service life of a white wine barrel is no more than 7 years, and for red wine - about 5 years.

If you don't have a cellar or cellar, the best alternative would be a wine cabinet, which maintains ideal conditions for the preservation of wine. Its use will preserve the taste of the drink for a long time, will allow it to ripen, revealing its qualities to the maximum.

Storage of empty barrels

Store empty barrels in a dry place, because mold can form on their inner surface in dampness. The container is recommended to be regularly fumigated with sulfur (once a month), then it is mandatory to clog it with a cork.

There is another way to store barrels. To do this, fill them halfway with water, add sulfuric anhydride (100 ml / 1 l) and tartaric or citric acid. At the same time, water for washing barrels should be used high-quality, better drinking.Stir, plug the hole with a cork and roll the barrel for 5-10 minutes, drain. Then fill the container to the very top, using cold water, hermetically seal and send for safekeeping.