![]() ![]() To bend barrel staves, they are heated over a fire of oak scraps. For those flavors and aromas, oak is toasted. Woods other than white oak do not impart the desirable flavors and aromas that are expected in fine wines. Some of these woods have been found to be either too porous for long-term storage or to be too high in extractives that can contribute unpleasant flavors or aromas to wine. Redwood, red oak, cherry wood, and chestnut are among other woods that can produce sound barrels using standard production techniques. Most wine barrels in modern times are made from two species of European white oak ( Quercus robur and Quercus sessilis) or a different species of American white oak ( Quercus alba). The barrels were lighter and stronger than amphorae and became a major technological advance, leading to the end of commercial amphora use within about 200 years. Recognizing that oak was pliable enough to bend and its tight grain structure could make water-tight containers, the Romans began using oak barrels for wine. As amphora-using Romans advanced into Northern Europe, they encountered Gauls using oak barrels for beer. ![]() While some Mesopotamian societies used barrels made of palm wood, it is hard to bend and never became widely used. In the ancient world, clay amphorae were used to store and transport wine. All other containers are valued for being inert. Only wood is chosen to deliberately make changes in the beverage. Oak barrels hold a special place among wine containers. Other considerations include cost, convenience, inertness, cleaning, sanitation, and availability. Size is important, depending on the winemaker’s capacity to move heavy containers. A wine container must be sturdy enough for the purpose and not likely to introduce negative changes to the wine quality.
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