BARRELS ¿WHY WE USE THEM?

BARRELS ¿WHY WE USE THEM?

nov 08, 2017

For these containers, the most traditionally used for keeping and ageing wine, oak wood has been almost always chosen for their construction as it is a very resistant material and it provides the wine with pleasant flavours and aromas.

We can find different types of oak wood, although the most common are American, that gives resiny aromas and French, softer and with vanilla reminiscences. 

The use of barrels allows the separation of wine sediments, provides with tannins and enable microoxigenation, besides stabilising color. During the ageing, the wood shares a part of its nature with the wine and contributes to the improvement of the organoleptic properties of the wine.

A barrel shelf life depends on the objective it is destined to. If this is the racking (separation of sediments) it can be used up until the 40 years; but if on the contrary its use is to provide aromas and flavours, its shelf life is shortened to 8 years. 

We will find different stiles and capacities of barrels; in Fincas de Azabache we work with the Bordeaux type of 225 litres. 

As for the time of ageing in barrel of the D.O.Ca Rioja wines, the categories are:

- Crianzas : must remain in barrel a minimum of 12 months 

- Reservas : must remain in barrel a minimum of 12 months

- Grandes Reservas : must remain in barrel a minimum of 24 months

In addition to the time in barrel, they will have to mature for between one and three years, according to their category, to acquire the Designation of Origin Qualified Rioja.

Volver
0 0 Item(s): 0.00

Recent Add Item(s)

Product successfully added to your shopping cart
There are 0 items in your cart. There is 1 item in your cart.
Total (tax incl.)
Continue shopping Proceed to checkout
Top

Fincas de Azabache

You're of age