Barrel reclamation: everything that’s old can be new again

• December 17, 2013

During barrel maturation, the volatile compounds extracted from oak wood can contribute to a wine’s overall aroma and flavour, enhancing its character and complexity.

However, barrels have a finite pool of extractable material and the amounts of oak derived volatile compounds available for extraction diminish over time.

As a consequence, barrels are typically decommissioned after five to six years.

This study investigated whether or not decommissioned barrels represent a previously untapped source of high quality oak that can be ‘reclaimed’ for use in wine maturation.

View the Full Article (PDF)