Oak Affects the color, tannin (pucker!), texture and of course, flavor of wine. Oak is as important to wine as seasoning is to steak. Too much seasoning on a steak would defeat the purpose of enjoying the natural, delicious flavors of the meat. In the same token, too much oak will mask the complex flavors and aromas of wine. It is also generally, a hint that a flaw in the wine is being masked with oak.
Different types of oak will impart different characteristics to wine. It gives aromas of butter, toffee, caramel, vanilla, spice and butterscotch to mention a few. The strength of these flavors depends on several variables like oak toast, variety of wine and the amount of time the oak matures in the wine.
The precision of aging oak with wine is something of an art form. As Lettie Teague said:
"The French know how important oak is to wine; in fact, the word they employ to describe a wine's time in barrel, élevage, is the same one they use to describe raising a child."
Part of the art form includes oak toasting. Oak is charred or “toasted” to varying degrees to give oak chips or barrels a particular impact on wine. The lighter the toast the more oak flavor and tannins imparted. A darker toast will often give wine a smoky flavor.
Enologist's and winemakers are continuing to find new and improved ways to integrate oak into wine. Precision toasting now allows our winemakers to create specific aromas and flavors in wine. Oak toasted uniformity also means that we can create those specific aromas repeatedly.
One of the newer aspects of Vintners Own customized wine is the oak profile. Once a client has chosen a variety and decided on important details such as alcohol content, yeast type, color, and tannin/acidity levels, the quest for a precise oak balance begins!
We offer seven different types of oak. Each oak type can be paired, blended, and mixed and matched to create an ideal oak blend. This allows our clients the ability to take customized wine to a whole new level. We are excited about our new oak profile program and invite you to learn more about precision toasting and oak choice in winemaking!