Oak barrels

Many wines ferment or age in wooden barrels, with oak being the most commonly used wood for their production.

The volume of a Bordeaux barrel is traditionally 225 liters. The Bordeaux barrel measures 95 cm in height, and the staves (the pieces of oak forming the barrel) are 20 mm thick. A 225-liter barrel can fill up to 300 bottles of 0.75 liters each.

The aging process of wine in oak barrels is very popular, especially in wine regions such as Bordeaux and Burgundy, because it significantly affects the quality and aroma of the wines. Aging wine in oak barrels promotes interaction between the air and the wine. The porous nature of the wood allows micro-oxidation, which lets the wine "breathe" and results in transformations in the wine's structure. Aging wine in an oak barrel offers an optimal balance between oxygen and various components of the wine, such as tannins, colors, aromas, proteins, and enzymes.