Business Reality Meets Romantic Winemaking Notions
Szűcs Róbert, Jammertal Wine Estate Why do winemakers prefer using oak barrels to other types of wood? Fermentation and/or ageing of wine in small barrels specifically interfere with the type wood they are made of. Most commonly used species are a few kinds of oak. Obviously, winemakers experiment with chestnut, cherry, acacia and mulberry. Technically, a wide spectrum of woods could be used. It is a simple economic issue which prevents winemakers from changing their routine on a larger scale. Matured wines are intended for the high-end market. Customers around the world have an identifiable, well-established general preference for flavour. Their definition of aroma referred to " big reds " has developed over the decades in connection with ageing in oak barrels. A different type of wood would provide for a significantly different palate for the same wine from a particular terroir. There is no guarantee that such a wine would gain a large-scale of buyers beyond a few fanatic...