A Ridiculous but Useful "Love Letter" to Wine Barrels!
Gotta love a wine cave!
How could you not be inspired to write a love letter to this!?!?
Not feeling it like I am?
I’ll start off:
Dear Wine Barrels,
Just looking at you in this wine cave doesn’t begin to explain the potential you have, the mysteries that you hold, and the delicious joy that can be had when the wine is poured and savored.
Too much?!?!
Seriously, wine barrels are incredible.
I absolutely do not get all the science behind their use. I can taste it. Well, most of the time. At least some of the time.
Just recently I put this to the test with my video editor on my YouTube Channel. Hint hint. Click the link.
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For the latest video, we compared 2 Cocobon Red Blend wines that are available at Trader Joe’s (and maybe other places I have since found out.)
One of the wines was aged on Espresso Roasted French Oak.
Would we be able to notice any difference?
Watch the YouTube video and find out!
Watch now. Watch later. You decide. It’s a fun video!
(Let’s be honest here. If I couldn’t tell any difference would I be writing this awkward love letter to wine barrels?)
Oak (as in oak barrels) is the one part of wine making that doesn’t happen naturally. The wine maker controls the process. They choose what kind to use and when. They also determine how the oak is toasted.
I wrote about a fantastic cave tour my husband and I took in Sonoma. It’s in the post: 10 fantastic and memorable wine country experiences in Sonoma County.
The tour was at Alexander Valley Vineyards.
Each Barrel tells a story.
This one is made from French Oak. The TG stands for tight grain. Similar to a piece of toast, it is toasted to medium plus. Toasted heads means the ends of the barrel are toasted inside as well as the body.
Another Barrel story.
This is American Oak. Water bent is the way the barrel is put together.
There is a whole science to this. Do NOT try to play stump the wine maker when taking a cave tour. There is no upside to that. Just enjoy it.
Want to know a little more about oak barrels and other interesting wine stuff? Check out: Top 10 things you need to know to have a useful wine vocabulary
The idea of a love letter may be a bit ridiculous and over the top. However, wine barrels deserve credit for an important place within wine making.
Don’t take them for granted. Appreciate them.
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Now would be a good time! It’s a great community.
Wine should be fun and add to your life!
Enjoy!
