ART OF THE BARREL
If you have ever been in our tasting room in Prosser, it is hard to miss our barrels. They are on display, front and center, behind large picture windows. This is a fitting tribute to such an important component in our wine. While winemaking is often considered an art, choosing the right barrel is an art all by itself. In this newsletter, I want to briefly talk about the role of oak in the wines made at Airfield and highlight some of my favorite cooperages and what they contribute to the wines we are making.
For my wines, the goal is to always highlight the fruit. We want to showcase the plum & herbs in our Merlots, the cherry & black current in our Cabernets, and the anise & earth in our Syrahs. The barrel is to my wines as a frame is to a painting. With paintings, the choice of frame can accentuate the beauty of the art or if poorly selected can compete with it. So it is with wine, choosing that perfect barrel can accentuate the beauty and flavor of the wine or it can compete with it. Most of you have probably heard a wine described as “it tastes like I am licking a barrel.” Choosing the wrong type of barrel or using too much new oak can detract from the fruit and steal its beauty and natural essence.
In Airfield wines, we like to see barrels contribute some very subtle background flavors. A hint of cocoa on a Cabernet can be quite compelling as it dances with the fruit flavors on your nose. While the aromatic contribution of barrels can be nice, what really dazzles me is what it can do to mouth feel. Some barrels can add great weight on the mid-palate. Others, add nice line and direction. The framework that barrels provide to wine as it sits on the tongue can be quite incredible. However, to work properly, the foundation of good fruit, with layers of intensity has to be there as the basis upon which oak builds.
One of the main reasons that barrels can affect the mouthfeel and body of a wine comes from the fact that barrels breath. Barrels, while being water tight, actually breath and bring in small amounts of oxygen into the wine. This process is called micro-oxygenation. Some of you that are knowledgeable about wine are probably wondering: Why do you want to use a barrel if it adds oxygen to wine, isn’t oxygen bad for wine? The answer is both yes and no. From the perspective of a consumer, you have seen how an open wine bottle in a matter of days can go from outstanding to unpalatable as the oxygen slowly oxidizes the aromatics and flavor of the wine. From a winemaker’s perspective, oxygen is paramount in preparing a red wine for bottle. A young red wine is like a new rose. It starts out closed, all of its flavors and textures are tightly wrapped in a bundle. The ingredient that makes the wine unravel is oxygen. Small amounts of oxygen slowly enter the wine through the barrel and the wine begins to develop. As more oxygen enters the wine, the wine’s development continues, both in texture and in flavors. Tannins become softer and more velvety. The wine’s acidity begins to lose its edge and come into balance. Depending on the intensity of the fruit, this development can take anywhere from 10 months to 24 months. Once the wine has opened up and come into balance, we are able to capture that moment by putting the wine in a bottle and sealing it with a screw cap in an environment free from oxygen.
When selecting oak and pairing it with the right wine, it is important to have experience. The salesmen from the cooperage will tell you what they think the barrel will contribute to the wine. Rarely does it actually work as advertised. Every vineyard is distinct and trying to use certain barrels to emulate styles from other wineries will not work. Having purchased barrels for Airfield Estates for 5 years, I am beginning to see great success with our barrel selection.
I have listed some of my favorite barrels, these barrels have become the foundation of my barrel program. While each year I experiment with new barrels, the following have proven they work well with my fruit. One thing that these barrels have in common is that they all are what I consider “finesse” barrels. They are not flashy; they all tend to have flavors that sit in the background of the wine. Nonetheless, they generally have a big effect on the mouth feel of the wine.
FRENCH BARRELS (Make up 45% of 2009 barrel purchases)
St. Martin – I have been using this barrel for 2 years and have been very impressed with the weight and structure these barrels add to my Cabernet Sauvignon. While adding weight, they also provide roundness and elegance to the wine.
Boutes – The Boutes barrel is my mid-palate bomb. When I am looking for a lot of roundness in a wine, this barrel is the right choice. Used heavily with Merlot.
Vicard – Vicard is a great Cabernet barrel. Although it does not add the fatness of the Boutes barrel, it adds exceptional length. Aromatics of cocoa make for an enticing nose. This cooperage’s American counterpart has been a great choice for Zinfandel.
Billon – This barrel showed me last year that it has the potential to make the Merlot of my dreams. After spending time in the Billon, the Merlot came out soft with a seamless mouthfeel. I’m very excited about the future of this barrel.
EUROPEAN OAK – NON FRENCH (20%)
Trust – Hungarian Oak – If you can recall our 2006 Reserve Syrah, you will remember its smoky character that mingled with its earthy fruit quality. (91pts Wine Spectator) The primary barrel in that blend was Trust Hungarian. When combined with our Syrah, it creates an exhilarating smoky flavor. While used for many varietals, Trust does exceptionally well with Syrah. Watch for our 2009 Reserve Syrah sometime next year — it will be fantastic.
Seguin Moreaux – Russian Oak – These are the first Russian oak barrels we have ever purchased, and I am definitely impressed. These barrels rival the Billon for my favorite choice for Merlot. While adding great body, they add a nice spicy component that our staff is in love with. Hungarian oak comes in at $650, Russian is $850, and French is $1000. The price of Russian oak being nearly that of French is the only thing preventing me from buying a ton of these excellent barrels.
AMERICAN BARRELS (Make up 35% of 2009 barrel purchases)
You have probably heard people praising French barrels and loathing American oak. As a French oak lover, I understand the love of French oak. While not all American Oak measures up, I feel I have found three barrels that do. These three barrels are no slouches and will often beat the French in blind taste tests. These high end American barrels are still way cheaper then the French costing just $400 a piece.
Seguin Moreaux – U-Stave American – These unique barrels have gotten their name from the fact that the wood inside the barrel is cut in a U-shape instead of being cut flat. This extra surface area and perfect toasting provides a barrel that can provide tremendous concentration without taking over aromatically. It works wonders with our Cabernet Sauvignon.
Saury Reserve American - These represent my work horse barrels. I buy lots of these barrels and they work well with almost everything. Sometimes I mistake them for French oak.
Nadalie Virginia American - Probably the most delicate American oak barrel that I have ever used. It works well with white wines in particular. It is also one of my favorite barrels with Syrah.
If you have read this far, you may be asking yourself. Ok, I have heard him mention Syrah, Merlot, & Cabernet a lot regarding his barrel choices, but not any of the other red varietals that Airfield grows. The reason for this is I have found that Merlot, Syrah, & Cabernet are my best varietals for handling new oak. Most of the other varietals lose fruit if too much oak is applied. So with the other varietals, they often see no more then 20% new oak. When they are blended, they add great fruit accents to the wine.
Well, that is the barrel regime at Airfield in a nutshell. As I mentioned earlier, we are always trying new barrels. While we have found barrels that work well with our fruit, I am sure there are other barrels out there that would be great additions to the wines we make. We will keep you posted as we continue to find these gems.
Written by Marcus Miller
Airfield Estates Winemaker
Tags: AMERICAN OAK, Barreled wines, barrels, FRENCH OAK, HUNGARIAN OAK, oak, Oak Barrels, RUSSIAN OAK