Oak in wine making......does not necessarily mean it was made and aged in oak barrels. Floating oak chips in the wine made in stainless steel tanks is also a way they get that oaky taste. This happens when the wine comes in contact with the oak in the fermenting or aging process. The use of oak in wine making dates back to the Roman Empire where they found that not only was it convenient for storage but also by being stored this way the wine took on principles from the oak which made it softer and sometimes even better tasting. This is a grand finding which we are all thankful for. Robert Mondavi is the one responsible for educating the Americans with oak and the types used and the barrel styles with his experimenting during the 1960's & 70's.The porous nature of oak allows for the evaporation process. Small amounts of oxygen are allowed to pass through during this process that pass through the barrel and act as a softening agent on the tannins of the wine. Phenols within the wood interact with the wine to make the vanilla like flavors you may taste or the notes of sweetness or tea like. Wine that is matured within the oak has more oak flavors than wine that is fermented in oak. This is because the yeast latches on to the oak on the sides of the barrels. White wines fermented in oak will be extra silky on the palate. The time spent in a barrel depends entirely on the wine maker and the type of wine he chooses to make. There is much trial and error in this process at times.
When using oak chips they are placed in fabric bags and floated in the tanks. Some wineries also use oak powder. This is done less often. But really do we know if it is a barrel, chip or powder? Possibly the high demand makes for needs of the other ways to achieve the oakiness in wines. Time could be a factor which would not allow for the aging in the barrels.
We have come along way with wine making. From bottles to boxes. From barrels to chips & powders. But is is great to see and learn that since the Roman Empire wine making days we still hang on to the original way of doing it in barrels.
