What is the life expectancy of an Oak Barrel used by Wineries?

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Permalink Reply by Steve Snyder on August 23, 2008 at 9:12am

It depend on what your objectives are. I know many that use 100% new barrels every year. Some keep their barrels for many years. Generally wineries use a mixture new and used barrels keeping barrels less than five years, but barrels can last 10 or more years if properly taken care of. You definitely want to turn a barrel into a planter if you get any VA smells out of the barrel.

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Permalink Reply by Andrew on August 25, 2008 at 9:07am

I had the impression that the Europeans typically reuse barrels and Americans don't. Can't find anything to confirm this. Is this true?

Andrew

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Permalink Reply by Steve Snyder on August 25, 2008 at 11:50am

For us, we don't want 100% new oak on our wines. We like to taste the grapes not the barrels. It also depends on the variety. Cabernet takes to oak really well while Syrah is typically better with less oak. In general you'll find the European winemakers use less new oak and new world winemakers use more.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Sterling on August 28, 2008 at 9:26pm

Barrels are good for imparting oak for three years. I buy 25% new oak every year and rotate out the oldest.

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Permalink Reply by Mark Koppen on September 3, 2008 at 11:49am

Here at August Briggs we don't use anything beyond 3 years old. I do remember when at BV about 10 years ago that we had some 10+ year-old barrels, which were still in OK shape.

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Permalink Reply by Mutineer Magazine on October 31, 2008 at 9:29am

I personally think to many some winemakers are concerned with using new oak barrels. I would rather taste a wine that has come from an aged barrel (3-5years). I agree with steve when he says, "we like to taste the grapes not the barrels." New barrles are too overpowering.

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Permalink Reply by Amanda / Administrator on October 31, 2008 at 9:35am

I agree with tasting the grapes rather than the oak. In fact I have become so sensitive to taste of oak I now seek wines that have never soaked in Oak - Such as the Tremani Pino Gris.

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keating on December 10, 2008 at 5:07pm

The best oak to have, in my opinion, is a combination of new barrels & barrels that have been used for white wine only. The big question is what to do with the brand new oak one buys after it has housed only one red wine. Most likely, I would sell them unless I could find a nice use for them.

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